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MEET THE AUTHOR, GENTLE READER ! 

Presented here as an afterthought, but without apolo- 
gies, in response to a popular demand to satisfy good 
folks who may wonder what a sailor could look like who 
could write such a book. 



70,000 Miles 

ON A 

Submarine 
Destroyer 

or, 
The Reid Boat in the World War 

By George M. Battey, Jr. 

with Photographs mostlj! by the Author 
Sketches bv 

SERGIUS J. BECKER 




ATLANTA 

THE WEBB & VARY COMPANY 

1919 







Dedicated to Mq Shipmates 

The Firemen 

The Engineroom Force 

The Seamen 

The Quartermasters 

The Electricians 

The Gunners 

The Boatswains Mates 

And All Other Old Salts 

Who shoveled the coal 

Who sped the propellers 

Who kept the deck 

Who warned of dangers 

Who manned the wheel 

And in general who caught the hell 

And endured the petty visitations 

To all of these 

This book is dedicated 



AUG 23 I9!9 



Copyright, 1919, by 

George M. Battey, Jr. 

(All Rights Reserved) 



.A530611 



-^ 



^i:z 



War Itinerary of the Reid 

July 21, 1917: Left Charleston for war 
zone. 

July 23, 1917: Arrived St. George's, Ber- 
muda. 

July 26, 1917: Left St. George's, Bermuda. 

July 31, 1917: Arrived Ponta Delgada, 
Azores. 

Oct. 7, 1917: Left Ponta Delgada, Azores. 

Oct. 13, 1917: Arrived Queenstown, Ire- 
land. 

Oct. 13, 1917: Left Queenstown, Ireland. 

Oct. 14, 1917: Arrived Cardiff, Wales. 

Oct. 15, 1917: Left Cardiff, Wales. 

Oct. 16, 1917: Arrived Queenstown, Ire- 
land. 

Oct. 21, 1917: Left Queenstown, Ireland. 

Oct. 22, 1917: Arrived new base, Brest, 
France. 

Dec. 11, 1918: Left Brest, France, for 
home. 

Dec. 14, 1918: Arrived Ponta Delgada, 
Azores. 

Dec. 19. 1918: Left Ponta Delgada, Az- 
ores. 

Dec. 28, 1918: Arrived Grassy Bay, Ber- 
muda. 
Dec. 29, 1918: Left Grassy Bay, Bermuda. 
Dec. 31, 1918: Arrived Charleston, S. C. 
Completing more than 70,000 miles at sea. 



[5] 



Historical Sketch 



T 



HE Destroyer Reid was built by the Bath Iron 
Works Co., of Bath, Maine, as a sister ship of 
Destroyer Flusser, whose experiences in the 
World War just fought were largely the same 
as her owoi. She w^as commissioned Dec. 3, 1909, 
and at that time w^as regarded as the last word in 
the construction of vessels of that type. On her 
trial trip she is said to have attained a speed of ap- 
proximately 31 knots, and at the end of 70,000 
miles of steaming in the w^ar she could still make 26 
or 27. Her length is 293 feet, 10 J/2 inches; her 
beam 26 feet, 4 I/2 inches; her draft 9 feet, 6 inches; 
her displacement 700 tons; her coaling capacity 303 
tons; and her fresh w^ater capacity 37 tons. At 15 
knots her radius is 2,000 miles, and at 20 knots 
1,700. Her engines are of the Parson type, 
5 -turbine installation; her boilers are of the Normand 
type and number four. She has three torpedo 
tubes and her torpedoes are the Whitehead type. 
She carried five three-inch guns early in the w^ar, 
but the installation of depth charges made it neces- 
sary as a precautionary measure to remove No. 4 
gun from aft. In its place early in the fall of 1918, 
a Y-gun was installed for the further use of depth 
charges, and the 3 -inch gun turned into storage. 
Her war complement was 99 men and 7 officers, 
but toward the end of the war she carried 1 2 1 men. 
The Reid's number is 2 1 . She lies at this writing 
at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, where she has been 
placed in reserve along with her sister vessel the 
Flusser and their companion coal-burning destroy- 
ers of the old First Division, — the Preston, the Smith 
and the Lamson. Many were the predictions at 
the outset that the Reid and these destroyers would 

[7] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

never survive a winter in the Bay of Biscay; that 
Uncle Sam would swap them for the Azores Islands 
and throw the Philippines in "to boot"; but they 
survived in a manner that reflected credit upon their 
crews and upon their builders. In fact, it was a 
source of considerable satisfaction to inhabitants of 
the group to ponder the wisdom of old-fashioned 
destroyer building as they contemplated the exper- 
iences of several of our latest type oil-burners w^hich 
were turned out last year in sixty days or so and 
which put into Philadelphia after a few stiff blows 
with rivets loose, stanchions behaving queerly and 
steel plates buckled up. The spirit of their crews 
is expressed in the following sentence: 

*'If you new-fangled oil-burners can't stand the 
pace in the strenuous times that are ahead, just let us 
off the junk pile and w^e will show you how it's 
done!" 

It is customary to name battleships after states, 
cruisers and light craft after cities, and destroyers 
after men who have distinguished themselves by con- 
spicuous service at sea; and it was appropriate that 
the Reid should have been named for a sailor who 
explored the main in the days of sails and calms 
and cutlasses, when wireless and seniority were 
practically unknown and each commander was as 
supreme in his own ocean bailiwick as he chose to 
make himself. Thus Capt. Samuel C. Reid be- 
came the Reid's "patron saint ", and from Leslie's 
Illustrated Weekly of June 5, 1858 (copy of which 
is framed and hanging in the wardroom of the Reid 
today) the following historical sketch is summarized 
and presented as a matter of interest to the crew 
and the general public. It is also worthy of note 
that one of Captain Reid's grandsons busied him- 
self during the war just closed in the work of the 

[8] 



Historical Sketch 



Navy League and made a tour of states in interest 
of naval recruiting. Captain Reid won his spurs by 
harrying the British at the Island of Fayal, Azores 
Inlands. This islana, by the way, the Reid visited 
August 4, 1 9 1 7, at the port of Horta, and it was at 
Horta that the American Airship NC-4 landed on 
May 17, 1 9 1 9, on the remarkable trans-oceanic 
aerial flight to Europe in which Commander John H. 
Towers, of Rome, Ga., flying the NC-3 as flag air- 
ship of the group, was lost at sea, but finally made 
port at Porta Delgada. Here is Leslie's account: 

At 8 o'clock on. the night of September 26, 1814, the 
Privateer Brig General Armstrong (Captain Samuel C. Reid, 
U. S. N.) was lying in the neutral port of Fayal, Island of 
Fayal, Azores Islands. Captain Reid was entertaining the 

American Consul aboard when three British warships the 

Ships-of-the-Line Plantagenet (74 guns), the Frigate Rota 
(44 guns) and the Carnation (18 guns), all under Ad- 
miral Loyd, of the English Navy — put in. Captain Reid 
sent the American Consul ashore and prepared for an at- 
tack. Four small boats left the enemy ships and on their 
failure to halt when challenged, Captain Reid fired on them, 
killing several men. The British fired at the same time, 
killing the General Armstrong's first lieutenant and wound- 
ing one other. 

The boats were dispersed and an hour later fourteen more 
were put out, several of them carrying as many as 50 Brit- 
ish sailors. On their failure to halt when challenged again. 
Captain Reid gave them another round of grape and can- 
nister from "Long Tom", the ship's 48-pounder, and as 
the trusty weapon w^as re-loaded and fired, several of the 
boats crumpled up and sank, and their occupants were 
thrown dead or dying into the water. There w^ere so many 
boats, however, that Captain Reid saw a hand-to-hand en- 
counter was coming, so he sent some mess cooks and deck 
hands down into the hold to break out the cutlasses. In the 
meantime, the crew^ of the General Armstrong were pepper- 
ing their antagonists with small gun fire, but the enemy 
soon swarmed over the vessel's side and gave battle at close 
range. Captain Reid was left-handed and in his left he 
brandished a cutlass, while the cabin boy handed him pis- 
tols to fire with his right. A lieutenant joined battle with 

[9] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

Captain Reid back aft, and the combat for some time waxed 
hot. TTie cutlasses of the combatants struck fire and the 
fight might have resulted in a draw had not the lieutenant 
stumbled on a hatch, which gave the captain an opportunity 
to send him reeling over the side. Captain Reid had not 
used his pistols at a^\. 

The few survivors retreated, and Admiral Loyd signalled 
the Civil Governor to force the General Armstrong from 
under the protection of the clififs, but at the same time the 
American Consul wrote a note to the Governor imploring 
him to stand firm. At dawn the next day the British at- 
tacked by steaming in. Captain Reid shot away the main- 
mast of one of the vessels, but seeing the odds w^ere against 
him, beached his ship and blew^ her up. The British burn- 
ed her and sent word to the Governor to surrender Captain 
Reid and his men, w^ho had taken refuge in a convent, or the 
ships w^ould shell the city. The Portuguese paid no attention 
and Admiral Loyd lifted anchor and w^ent to New Orleans, 
where he w^as due to help capture that city. 

It developed that Admiral Loyd was delayed ten days by 
the battle in the Azores and was unable to help in the com- 
bined land and naval attack on the Louisiana city. This 
delay saved the day, because General Andrew Jackson was 
able to overcome the British before their naval reinforce- 
ments arrived. The battle of Fayal was the last of the War 
of 1812 on the seas and did much to revive hopes at home 
and to discourage the British. It is recorded by the his- 
torians as one of the most daring achievements of the w^ar. 
The Americans lost two in killed and five w^ounded. Ad- 
miral Loyd lost 560 men in killed. 





[10] 



Chapter I. 
THE WAR STEP BY STEP. 



OOK AHOY! At last we are out, and it is 
considered desirable to present the true, un- 



camouflaged, unpress-agented, civilian story 
of the Good Ship Reid mainly in chronologi- 
cal style, the "barnacles" having been culled from 
various logs and diaries kept aboard the ship, formal 
and informal. In this way we shall encounter a 
minimum of confusion with regard to the time things 
happened, the place, and the circumstances. We 
shall begin at the beginning and end at the end, as 
becomes all good narratives, trusting that in the 
main we are accurate. However, now and then we 
shall vary the general style by padding out certain 
high spots in the experience, such, for instance, as 
the attack on the German Submarine U-48 and the 
sinking of the Transport Covington and the thrilling 
sensation of a three-day storm or so. 

Following the general narrative are certain features 
which stand independently, yet contribute, it is 
hoped, to a proper understanding of life at sea on 
destroyer service in the Great World War. Pre- 
ceding the general narrative is a step-by-step out- 
line of w^ar movements and incidents concerning our 
Allies, dating from June 28, 1914, and ending April 
6, 1917, when Congress declared war on Germany 
for the United States. It is believed gentle readers 
everywhere will appreciate this feature, since it links 
up the earlier days of the cataclysm with the later days 
and enables one to get a perspective that w^ould be 
impossible otherwise. Therefore you are requested, 
should the first part prove a trifle burdensome, to 
wade through it nevertheless with a stout heart in 
the interest of fidehty to history; for lo! you will 

[11] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 



soon enough find your precious self head over heels 
in the adventures and the accomplishments of the 
wild and wooly crew of the Reid! 

1914. 

June 28 — Archduke Ferdinand of Austria and wife assassi- 
nated at Sarajevo, Bosnia. 

July 28 — Austria declares war on Serbia; Germany mobi- 
lizes fleet. 

August 1 — Germany declares war on Russia. 

August 3 — Germany declares war on France and Belgium 
and invades Belgium. 

August 4 — Britain declares state of war exists with Ger- 
many. Liege attacked. 

August 6 — Austria declares war on Russia. 

August 9 Serbia declares war on Germany. 

August I 1 — Germans invade France at Longwy; Montene- 
gro declares w^ar on Germany, France on Austria. 

August 1 2 — England declares war on Austria. 

August 20 — Germans occupy Brussels. 

August 23 — Japan at war with Germany. 

August 28 — Five German w^arships sunk off Helgoland. 

September 3 — French capital moved to Bordeaux. 

September 7 — German advance on Paris turned back at 
the Marne. 

September 1 2 — Allies attack on the Aisne, opening the 
w^orld's greatest battle. 

October 9 — Germans capture Antwerp. 

October 30 Russia declares w^ar on Turkey. 

November 1 — Germans sink Admiral Cradock's fleet off 
Chile. 

November 5 — Great Britain declares w^ar on Turkey. 

November 9 — Germans surrender Tsingtau. 

December 8 — Four German cruisers sunk by British off 
Falkland Islands. 

December 1 6 — German ships bombard West Hartlepool. 

December 24 — First German air raid on England. 

1915. 

January 24 — Naval battle off Dogger Bank. 

February 2 — ^Britain declares all food contraband. 

February 1 1 — ^United States w^arns belligerents not to at- 
tack American ships. 

February 1 7 — Germans begin submarine blockade, despite 
United States protest. 

[12] 



The War Step by Step 



February 23 — ^United States steamer Carib sunk by North 
Sea mine. 

February 25 — Allied fleet attacks Dardanelles. 

March 1 8 — ^Three Ally battleships sunk in Dardanelles. 

March 23 — Allies land at Dardanelles. 

May 3 — Russians routed at Battle of the Dunajec. 

May 6 — Lusitania sunk by U-Boat; 1,000 die; 100 Ameri- 
cans. 

May 1 3 — Wilson demands reparation for Lusitania lives. 

May 22 — Italy declares war on Austria. 

June 9 — Bryan quits Wilson cabinet. 

June 14 — Von Mackensen opens great drive against Russia. 

July 2 — Pommern sunk in Baltic. 

August 5 — Germans capture Warsaw. 

August 1 — Russians drive Turkish Caucasus army into 
Armenia. 

August I 8 — Russian fleet victorious in Riga Gulf. 

September I — Germany agrees to sink no more liners with- 
out warning. 

September 8 — Grand Duke Nicholas removed from Russian 
command. 

September 1 — United States asks recall of Austrian ambas- 
sador, Dumba. 

September 25 — Allies' drive begun in France; 20,000 cap- 
tured. 

October 6 — French and British land in Greece. 

October 9 — Germans occupy Belgrade, invading Serbia. 

October 1 — Bulgaria attacks Serbia. 

November 6 — Bulgarians take Nish, Serb capital. 

December 1 — Turks defeat British near Bagdad. 

December 4 — Ford peace party sails. 

December 9 All Allies driven from Serbia. 

December 1 9 — Allies evacuate Gallipoli. 

December 25 — Ford leaves peace party. 

1916. 

January 9 — Last Allied soldier leaves Dardanelles. 
January 1 7 — Montenegro makes separate peace. 
February 23 — Germans open attack on Verdun. 
April I 9 — Russians land in France. 
April 24 — Irish revolt in Dublin. 

April 28 — British surrender to the Turks at Kut-el-Amara. 
May 1 — Leaders of Irish rebels executed. 
May I 5 — Austrians open offensive against Italy. 
May 30 — Fourteen British and 18 German warships sunk 
in great naval battle in North Sea. 

[13] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

June 6 — Lord Kitchener drowned when cruiser Hampshire 
is torpedoed off Orkney Islands. 

June 9 — Russians re-enter Galicia. 

June 1 4 — Allied Conference in Paris votes commercial boy- 
cott of Germany after war. 

June 1 7 — Russians retake Czernowitz. 

July 9 — German submarine liner reaches Baltimore. 

August 27 — Roumania entered the war. 

August 29 Hindenburg chief of staff- 
September 3 — Zeppelin destroyed at Cuffley. 

October 1 — Allied ultimatum to Greece. 

November 29 Grand Fleet under Sir D. Beatty. 

December 1 — A^nti-allied riot in Athens. 

December 5 Resignation of Mr. Asquith. 

December 6 — Germans entered Bukarest. 

December 7 — Mr. Lloyd George prime minister. 

December 12 German "peace proposals." 

December 1 5 French victory at Verdun. 

December 20 — President Wilson's peace note. 

1917. 

January 1 — Turkey denounced Berlin treaty. 

February 1 — "Unrestricted" U-boat war begun. 

February 3 — America broke with Germany. 

March 1 1 — British entered Bagdad. 

March 1 2 — Revolution in Russia. 

March 1 5 — Abdication of the Czar. 

March 1 8 — British entered Peronne. 

April 5 — U. S. S. Missourian, unarmed, sunk in Mediter* 
ranean. Horse ship Canadian, carrying 56 Americans, 
sunk. 

April 6 — U. S. Congress declared war with Germany. 

April 17 — Destroyer Smith (17) reported by w^ireless to 
Boston that a submarine tried to torpedo her. 

April 28 — Lieut. Thomas and four gunners lost w^hen U. 
S. S. Vacuum, an oil tanker, was sunk. 

April 30 — Washington reports that the impression is gain- 
ing ground that President Wilson will embark a small 
force for France shortly after more conferences w^ith the 
Allied commissions. 

May 2 — U. S. S. Rockingham sunk by submarine, London 
reported. 

May 4 — Squadron of American destroyers reached Queens- 
town for duty. 

May 1 4 — Paris reported 1 7 unarmed French merchant ships 
sunk during February, March and April, 1917. 

[14] 



The War Step by Step 



May 21 — Prince of Udine, first cousin of King Victor Em- 
manuel of Italy, arrived in United States as head of Italian 
Commission. Steamship Mongolia returned to port with 
bodies of two Red Cross nurses killed by fragments of 
gun cap exploded in practice 100 miles at sea. 

June 7 — Reid at Brooklyn Navy Yard. At 8:40 

A. M. F , fireman, was brought in under 

guard, having attempted to smuggle a bottle of 
whiskey aboard ship. British victory at Messines 
Ridge. 

June 10 (Sunday) — -Left for Tompkinsville, S. I., 
where we saw Transport Finland standing by, 
loaded w^ith contingent of first American troops to 
go to France. Also saw Cruisers Charleston and 
St. Louis. 

June 1 I — Left for York River, Va., passing Monitor 
Amphitrite; convoying Battleship Illinois; at 9 P. 
M. lost Illinois in heavy fog. 

June 1 2 — Searched for Illinois most of day in fog. 

Passing craft ringing bells and sounding fog horns. 

Anchored. King Constantiiie abdicated Greek 

throne. 
June 1 3 — Arrived York River, Illinois arriving about 

same time. Carried Rear Admiral Coffman to 

Norfolk as passenger. 
June 1 6 — Took Rear Admiral Coffman back to 

Yorktown. 
June 1 8 — Galley artists, crew members and officers 

held stringed instrument entertainment in ward- 
room. 
June 1 9 — Set targets at practice for Destroyer Aly- 

win (47) at Tcingier Sound. Shooting poor. 
June 20 — Atlantic Fleet steamed through nets for 

maneuvers. Radio message said Mexico would 

join Allies in name of humanity. 
June 2 1 — Lieut. Good told how Kaiser came aboard 

[15] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

Battleship Louisiana at Kiel in 1911 and gave his 
picture to ship. 

June 26 — First American troops landed in France, 
at St. Nazaire. 

June 27 — Left Yorktown for Brooklyn Navy Yard. 

June 28 — Arrived at Brooklyn Navy Yard. Coaled 
ship. Prinzess Irene, receiving ship (later re- 
named the Pocahontas), Friedrich der Gross (Hu- 
ron) and Kaiser Wilhelm II (Agamemnon) tied 
up nearby. 

June 29 — President Lincoln left dry dock. 

June 30 — Arrived at Tompkinsville, S. I., with De- 
stroyer Preston (19). Standing by. Heard 
Sandy Hook big guns. Finland again reported 
present, loaded with troops. Left at 10 P. M., 
Preston accompanying, convoying French Steamer 
La Touraine, with Prince of Udine and Italian 
Commission to United States aboard. Ships 
darkened. 

July 1 (Sunday) — Reid and Preston left La Tour- 
aine 300 miles out. Weather rough and number 
of crew sea-sick. Raced Preston back. Last 
big Risssian offensive started. 

July 2 — Arrived Brooklyn Navy Yard; alongside 
Destroyer Terry (25) ; Destroyers Flusser (20) 
and Worden (16) and Yacht Ceramis and Ger- 
man Liners Pennsylvania and President Lincoln 
also in yard. Cruiser Des Moines and German 
Liner Grosser Kurfurst (renamed the Aeolus) in 
dry dock. Near coast saw whale, and executive 
officer shot at three sharks. 

July 4 — Oil Supply Ship Maumee stood in. 

July 5 — At 6 A. M. left for Charleston, preceded 
out by Flusser, Preston and Worden. 

July 6 — At 5 P. M. arrived at Charleston and made 
liberty. Across dock from Gernman ship Lieben- 

[16] 




JUST BEFORE LEAVING CHARLESTON 

The Reid with three smoke-stacks removed for over- 
Imuling, in July, 1917. Astern are the Worden, Lamson 
and Flusser, and to port of the Reid the Preston. 



[17] 




A CHARLESTON SCENE: "AIR BEDDING!" 

We always got "Shorty's" order on the eve of rain, but 
here we have a canvas covering, by chance. July, 1917, 
just before leaving for abroad. 




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ST. GEORGE'S, BERMUDA, FROM THE SHIP 
On our arrival in July, 1917, we found Bermuda prac- 
tically deserted by tourists, and few steamers running. 
Submarines were just beginning to operate near the 
islands. 




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EDUCATED FISH DO BITE HOOKS! 

John F. Sweeney, a native of County Cork, started 
fishing July 31, 1917, in Ponta Delgada Harbor, and on 
Sept. 20 met with the above rich reward. 







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. DRESSED UP AND UNDERWAY 

Notice the pretty white canvas canopy protecting the 
engineroom hatch. A similar arrangement screened the 
quarter deck, before the storms ripped it off. 



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CONVOYING STEAMER DANTE ALIGHIERI 
On Aug. 25, 1917, the Reid escorted the Dante from 
Fonta Delgada toward Gibraltar. In 1918 three vessels 
with the Ahghieri were sunk, but she eluded the sub 




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IT WAS A WILD SEA, MATES! 

The Reid on leaving Azores, bound for Queenstown, at 
beginning of storm. Deacon Halliburton, of Tennessee, 
Jack-of-the-Dust, is all bundled up in the foreground. 




DOWN GOES THE DOUGHTY DIVER 
Here is the highest paid laborer in the Azores starting 
after American coal worth about $37 a ton. From a 
photograph taken through a porthole. 




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The War Step by Step 



fels (later the Houston), raised after sinking in 
harbor by her German commander. Kiel, Nica- 
ria and Frieda Leonhardt (renamed the Astoria) 
and Gunboat Paducah lying in yard. 

July 15 (Sunday) — ^Worden stood in. 

July 16 — At 10 P. M. yard workman fell off deck 
of Flusser and was drowned. 

July 1 7 — Reid entered dry dock. Wm. Dobschutz, 
a fireman, broke his leg playing baseball and thus 
missed going across w^ith Reid. 

July 1 9 — Henry Rawle, Ensign, USNRF., reported 
aboard for duty. Reichstag passed "peace" reso- 
lution. 

July 20 — Out of dry dock. 

July 21 — Underway at midnight at 20 knots for 
Bermuda with Preston. Capt. Slay ton and ship's 
cook made their wills. 

July 22 (Sunday) — Eddie Culkin, oiler, caught sev- 
eral flying fish on deck and fried them. Trip 
rough and most of crew sea-sick. 

July 23 — At 6:10 P. M. arrived at St. George's, 
Bermuda; met by Tug Powerful, whose com- 
mander shouted through megaphone, 'Tm going 
to board you!" Mumps epidemic aboard. 

July 24 — Bermudans coaled us from old tubs Norr- 
koping and Medina, built in 1876, and used in 
British expedition on River Nile. Members of 
crew visited caves on bicycles ; one gin-mill. Rus- 
sians defeated in Galicia. 

July 25 — Finished coaling, having taken deck load 
for 2,000 mile trip to Azores. Held swimming 
party in bay. 

July 26 — Left St. George's for Ponta Delgada, Az- 
ores, Preston accompanying. Lookout reported 
cloud bank as submarine and received bawling 
out by officer of deck. Weather fine; sea smooth. 
At 1 P. M. several lookouts were caught asleep 

[33] 




L34] 



The War Step by Step 



by executive officer, who let them off with warn- 
ing. 

July 28 — Schooner and steamer failed to salute, so 
Preston investigated. Now making 18 knots. 
Circulator broke down, and steering aft by hand. 

July 29 (Sunday) — Fine and smooth; nights pleas- 
ant and part of crew sleeping under torpedo tubes 
and around smoke stacks and in small boats. 

July 30 — Ran into schools of porpoises which raced 
with us. At dusk sighted suspicious-looking ob- 
ject two miles away on port beam; looked like 
conning tower of submarine. Turned out to be a 
floating target left by some ship. Banged away 
with machine gun, which jammed at first. 

July 31 — At 6:05 A. M. sighted peaks of Pico Is- 
land, Azores, 52 miles away. At 2 P. M. sighted 
St. Michael's Island 65 miles away. Officers 
shooting at fish and turtles with pistols. Epi- 
demic of mumps continued and poetry broke 
out in the galley. Anchored at 4:45 P. M. at 
Ponta Delgada, St. Michael's Island, Azores, with 
40 tons of coal aboard. Boarded by Portuguese 
port officer and health officer. Bum-boat men 
came alongside with pineapples at three for a quar- 
ter and wine under the boat seats. Not allowed 
to bring wine aboard. Destroyers Smith (17) 
and Lamson (18) in harbor. Liberty granted 
from 7 P. M. to midnight and all hands went 
ashore. Great Allied attack started 
Ypres. 




[35] 



CHAPTER 11. 
NINE WEEKS IN THE AZORES. 

ERSONS who are tired of life and prohibition 
should visit the Azores Islands and take a 
new lease. The distance is only 1,800 to 
2,000 miles from any point along the Atlan- 
tic coast, which is not far considering the benefits, 
and you don't have to walk. There are nine islands 
to roam about; one of these (St. Mary's) was im^ 
mortalized when Senhor Christopher Columbus 
stopped there in 1493 on his way back home after 
discovering America; but it is not necessary to see 
them all. One is plenty for anybody to form the 
opinion that here is the garden spot of the world, 
not even excepting Florida and Bermuda^ 

Down in Bermuda it is unique and interesting on 
account of the many caves where Annette Keller- 
man dived for the movies, Mark Twain rode a 
bicycle and Shakespeare gathered material for "The 
Tempest," but in Bermuda you find only one color 
scheme — white and black — whereas in the Azores 
everything is alive with color. Take Ponta Delgada, 
capital of St. Michael's Island, for instance; you 
find a great many homes and buildings done in 
white, but in addition you notice every other tint in 
the rainbow. It is kalsomining made into an art of 
rare degree; then the streets are just as clean and 
pretty, and back in the hills you go for your reserve 
color, — nearly every foot of ground is growing in 
green and brown grain or some kind of vegetable, 
each little farm of a f ew^ acres enclosed in four rough 
stone walls covered with vines, moss and lichens, 
and these farms present the appearance from a dis- 
tance of crazy quilt, which invariably drives ap- 
proaching artists mad. For background there are 
the peaks of mountains which must be as pretty as 

[36] 



Nine Weeks in the Azores 



any in Switzerland, or the Bassee Pyrenees. Since 
every able-bodied man farms in the outlying dis- 
tricts, there is no high-cost-of-living problem. Most 
of the vegetables we enjoy in the United States can 
be had at retail for two or three cents a pound, and 
our ships bought some, like potatoes, at one cent a 
pound, wholesale price. For money the Azoreans 
use the reis of their Portuguese forefathers. It takes 
1500 reis of strong money to make an American 
dollar, so to obtain change is very much like getting 
so much yen in China or Japan. For 500 reis a 
laborer will work a 10-hour day; that is, he would 
before the w^ar, but he is getting new ideas now and 
insists on not less than half a dollar. He goes bare- 
footed and is the happiest man on earth; in future 
he is not going to be so happy, but he will make a 
great deal more money, which scientists say is the 
same thing. The Azorean pennies are the joy of 
small boys everyw^here because of their enormous 
size, and to sailors are known as "bunker plates." 
Perhaps you will appreciate the value of a "bunker 
plate" better when it is explained that in certain un- 
commercialized areas of the Azores one such will 
buy an ordinary glass of the best red or white wine 
in the w^orld. These are also light w^ines, it should 
be said; and wines are very generally in demand; 
unless you go high in the hills, the water is bad. As 
for beer, there is supposed to be only one manufac- 
tory, and because of conditions in Bohemia the 
brewer has been forced to use hops from Milwaukee. 
A frozen article passes for ice cream, the cocoanut 
cakes are as good as anywhere, but chewing gum 
and soda water, hotels and modern conveniences are 
unknown. 

As for the people, they are strictly honest and in- 
dustrious and in politeness are next to the French. 
In literature they do not shine, but in music they have 

[37] 




[38] 



Nine Weeks in the Azores 



the aesthetic temperament. A serenade by a 
company of Azorean youths playing on stringed in- 
struments is worth going miles to hear. Rumor had 
it that John Philip Sousa, the band leader, was born 
on the Island of Pico; having no time to consult the 
encyclopedia, we are willing to admit it, and to say 
that no wonder the Azores turns out such men. 
Music is in the very air, especially when the park 
band plays in the bandstand before the hospital. 
Semi-tropical shrubbery is unexcelled, and flowers 
grow in great profusion. Up in the hills of St. Mich- 
ael's is Furnas, noted for its hot and cold baths and 
its unexcelled mineral waters; and everywhere does 
the grape and the pineapple grow abundantly, and 
in less quantity and in smaller size the banana. 
Everything maJces for happiness in the Azores, or 
Western Islands. 

At Ponta Delgada, a city of 25,000 people, we 
had a base during the w^ar — a base for destroyers 
and also for marines. It was here that John Towers, 
of Rome (Ga.), landed in May, 1919, after having 
been practically given up w^ith his naval plane NC-3 
as lost, and here it was that Commander A. C. Read 
flew in the NC-4 from Horta, Fayal Island, on his 
trans-oceanic flight for the Daily Mail's handsome 
prize. With this much said by way of introducing 
the Azores to persons who have not yet visited them, 
we proceed with the narrative. 

On July 31, 1917, the Preston and Reid steamed 
into Ponta Delgada after five days on the water 
without being able to drink any of it. The Smith 
and the Lamson had been there two or three days, 
long enough to learn the ropes, so their gobs essayed 
to show our gobs around the town. A few^ other 
sailors from different ships were there, and alto- 
gether they made things lively in the old place that 
night. Since the Collier Orion had driven off a 

[39] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 



submarine July 4 which had bombarded the city and 
killed a girl and wounded three women, the Azor- 
eans felt kindly toward the Americans, and toasted 
them pretty generally. In the wind-up a fight 
started, in which sailors, police and natives took 
part. Unfortunately, the skipper of the Lamson or 
somebody else over there shot a three-inch gun, 
thinking to summon the sailors back to ship, but 
this led the folks in the theatres into a panic, feeling 
as they did that the submarines had returned. Sev- 
eral policemen and natives were sent to the hospital, 
hit in a fusillade of bullets or with flying missiles or 
fists, and with diplomacy worthy of the old world 
the daily newspaper, A Republica, had a great 
deal to say on Aug. 2, under the heading "A Con- 
flict." 

In spite of the excitement caused by this incident, 
the Azoreans continued to be our true friends, and 
they did not despair of attaching the islands even- 
tually to the United States under some form of pro- 
tectorate, as little people wishing self-determination. 

Just as soon as we had a liberty, we busied our- 
selves with hunting for submarines. Necessarily this 
was to be our training period ; we were to learn how 
to look for submarines, what their peculiarities were, 
the differences between lights and the moon, the 
difference between seagulls and clouds and peri- 
scopes, barrels and conning towers, and such like. 
Shortly after we had arrived, survivors from small 
ships sunk mostly by gunfire or with bombs began 
to appear and tell their stories. The story was 
nearly always the same; the submarine had fired a 
shot or so, forced the bark or steamer to heave to, 
planted bombs down in her hold and blown her up; 
or the U-boat commander had saved himself this 
trouble by puncturing her sides with his shells. Then 
the survivors rowed I 00 miles or more to Icind in 

[40] 



Nine Weeks in the Azores 



small boats. After Capt. Bacon told his story of 
the British Steamer Iran (6700 tons), sunk by a tor- 
pedo, and in consideration of the fact that we had 
sevral sleepy-headed lookouts, Capt. Slayton 
posted the following notice on the bulletin board, on 
Aug. 10, 1917: 

NOTICE — ^There have been a number of people 
going to sleep while acting as lookouts. Men on look- 
out must remember that perhaps the safety of the ship 
depends on their keeping wide-awake. The submarine 
that has been operating where we shall patrol is not go- 
ing to show itself very much, and in order to discover 
it our lookouts must be strictly on the job. 

Two examples may be given of this same submarine: 
There have been about 1 vessels sunk by one sub- 
marine within a few^ hundred miles of the Azores, and 
in several cases victims did not see the submarine at 
all until too late, probably on account of inefficient 
lookouts. The steamer Iran was sunk by a torpedo. 
The crew^ did not see the submarine until after they had 
taken to the boats and the ship was sunk. In another 
case, that of the American bark Christiane, the first 
intimation was a shell bursting in front of them. 

Now, it is up to us to see that submarine first, then 
God help him, but if we don't see him, God help us I 

The chronology follows : 

August 1 — ^Commanding Officer reported fight of 
July 3 1 to Senior Officer Present afloat, on Gun- 
boat Sacramento. 

August 3 — Sacramento stood out, probably bound 
for England. Reid and Preston skirted islands 
hunting submarines. 

August 4 — Steamed into Angra do Heroismo, Ter- 
ceira Island, eind Horta, Island of Fayal, with 
Preston. 

August 5 (Sunday) — At Ponta Delgada. Two 
boatloads of survivors of Bark Doris and their 
dog rowed into harbor. Governor of Island and 

[41] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

Secretary called on commanding officer in high 
hats and with canes. 

August 6 — Natives coaling ship, assisted by crew. 
Commanding officer was informed French steamer 
was sunk w^ith gunfire and her motor boat stolen. 

August 7 — Portuguese Steamer San Miguel stood 
out. Destroyers Smith and Lamson stood out, pat- 
rolling islands, watching for pro-German signal 
lights in the hills. Preston received radio mes- 
sage saying French Steamer Marthe was being 
shelled by submarine. Reid and Preston stood 
by waiting for more information. U. S. S. Mo- 
tano sunk by submarine and 24 lives lost. 

August 8 — At 12:05 A. M. Preston and Reid got 
underway to assist Marthe. At 1 A. M. joined 
by Lamson and discovered Marthe life boat, 
smashed; also a cabin chair and some w^reckage. 
Passed another life boat, bottom side up. Re- 
ceived S. O. S. from Prinz Oscar II, Norwegian 
vessel. Heard Marthe' s crew fought submarine 
an hour and lost four gunners; 35 survivors land- 
ed at Funchal, Madeira. 

August 9 — Steamer Tidewater (U. S. ) put in with 
captain and survivors of Prinz Oscar II. British 
Steamer Hortensius put into Ponta Delgada with 
Captain Bacon and 88 survivors of the British 
Steamer Iran. Captain Bacon came aboard and 
told his story. 

August 1 — French Steamer Magellan stood out to 
sea. 

August 1 1 — San Jorge, Beira and Cinquo du Outu- 
bro (Portuguese man-of-war) stood in and Hali- 
fax stood out. Nashville (gunboat) stood in; Pan- 
ther (U. S. ) stood in, convoyed by Destroyer Flus- 
ser. Captain C. M. Crooks, of the American Bark 
Christiane, and two boatloads of survivors landed. 

[42] 



Nine Weeks in the Azores 



Captain Crooks came aboard and told his story 
to Captain Slayton, and exhibited a receipt for his 
vessel signed by the submarine commander, 
Ober-Leutnant E. L. Eyring. Announced U. S. 
S. Campana, Standard Oil tanker, sunk and cap- 
tain and four of naval guard probably captured. 
August 13 (Sunday) — Reid and Preston patrolling 
in loop toward Madeira. Set mines for firing and 
ordered everybody on deck to don life preservers* 
Steaming dark at night. 

August 14 — Went to general quarters on sighting 
Italian steamer. Exchanged recognition signals 
and convoyed her until 8:30 P. M. Lookout re- 
ported rising moon as light. Announced five U. 
S. citizens lost when U. S. S. City of Athens hit 
mine off coast of Africa, August 13. 

August 1 6 — Preston and Reid escorted Gunboat 
Castine into Ponta Delgada. Swung ship. Tide- 
water and Flusser stood out. 

August 1 8 — Portuguese Schooner Livramento, with 
cargo of pigs from Fayal, reported sighting sub- 
marine 20 miles o£F St. Michael's Island. Day 
watch put on all United States ships at Ponta Del- 
gada. 

August 19 (Sunday) — The following yachts stood 
in from the States : Alcedo, Guinevere, Carola IV, 
Corona, Wanderer, Remlik and Emeline. Flusser 
stood in. 

August 20 — Sailor shot a sailor ashore and all yacht 
crew liberty was cut off. 

August 21 — Portuguese patrol boat fired green 
rockets and shot outside break-water when Ameri- 
can tramp steamer attempted to run dark into 
harbor. All crews went to general quarters, and 
tramp ran on rocks. Spanish Steamer Arriluze of 
Bilbao anchored outside breakwater and sent 

[43] 




[44] 



Nine Weeks in the Azores 



ashore for burial body of sailor killed in fall from 
mast. Arriluze soon steamed out again. Azo- 
reans suspicious of her. 

August 23 — French Tramp Roma stood in. Alcedo, 
Guinevere, Carola IV, Corona, Wanderer, Rem- 
lik and Emeline got under way for France. 

August 24 — Italian Steamer Dante Alighieri stood 
in from New York, loaded with Italian reservists. 
Twenty-seven ships in harbor. 

August 25— Convoyed Dante Alighieri 300 miles 
toward Gibraltar, and reservists cheered, whistled 
and sang as we left them. Flusser with us. 

August 26 (Sunday) — Ship's cook reported "peri- 
scope." Machine gun jammed again. It was 
only a floating spar. Steaming toward coast of 
Spain. Rough weather and dishes won't stay on 
chow tables. 

August 29 — Escorted Italian Steamer Pediladia into 
Ponta Delgada. U. S. S. Seneca stood in from 
States. President Wilson wrote another note to 
the Pope. 

August 30 — Italian Steamer King of Italy and Dan- 
ish Schooner Fritz stood out. Lamson and Smith 
stood out. 

August 31 — ^Seneca stood out. 

September 1 — ^Wild report ashore said Smith was 
sunk by submarine and crew was on way to States 
on Flusser. Only 1 2' vessels in harbor. U. S. Ss. 
Seguranca, Flusser and Preston stood out. 

September 2 (Sunday) — Scout Cruiser Chester and 
Gunboat Yankton stood in from St. John's, N. F., 
and Boston. 

September 3 — Lamson and Preston stood in. 

September 4 — Yankton stood out toward Gibraltar; 
British Schooner Asquith and H. M. S. Hillcrest 
out. Germans occupied Riga. 

[45] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

September 5 — Portuguese Steamer Funchal stood in 
with 200 Portuguese troops for garrison. Chester 
stood out toward Gibraltar. Lamson and Smith 
stood in. 

September 6 — The following U. S. vessels stood in 
from the States, bound for France: Bath, Wakiva, 
Cahill, Courtney, James, Rehoboth, McNeal, Ossi- 
pee, Douglas, Anderton, Lewes, Hinton, Bauman, 
and Submarine Chasers 383, 384 and 385 (man- 
ned by French crews). Reid out patrolling is- 
lands. 

September 8 — Escorted Revenue Cutter Manning 
until relieved by Flusser. 

September 9 (Sunday) — Reid returned to base. 
Early liberty given crew. 

September 1 — British Bark Birkdale stood out. 
Revenue Cutter Yamacraw stood in. 

September 1 1 — French Steamer Apollon, of Alger, 
stood in. 

September 1 2 — Russian bark put in with news that 
Russia had signed a separate peace and Norway, 
Sweden and Denmark declared w^ar on the United 
States. Yamacraw and Cinquo du Outubro stood 
out. Washington statement said instead of six 
submarines sunk in attack on Westwego, one was 
' 'probably" sunk. Fifty lives lost when Minne- 
haha, Atlantic Transport Line, was sunk off Irish 
Coast. 

September 1 3 — French Schooner Montrose stood in. 
Rumor said Preston and Smith would soon return 
to United States for repairs. 

September 1 5 — Commanding Officer inspected ship. 
Russian republic proclaimed. 

September 1 6 (Sunday) — In morning baseball game 
Reid beat Flusser 12-1 1 . Gunboat Wheeling and 
Destroyers Truxtun (14) and Worden stood in. 

[46] 



Nine Weeks in the Azores 



Parana, Royal Mail Steam Packet, put in from 
Newport, Eng., after running fight of one hour 
with submarine, 200 miles south of Lizard Head. 

September 1 9 — French Steamer Apollon out, con- 
voyed by Lamson, Smith and Flusger. British Coal 
Collier Australcrag and Taormina (Italian) stood 
in. 

September 20 — J. Sweeney this date caught a large 
fish which he landed on deck. Submarine report- 
ed near island by Portuguese fisherman and gun 
crew^ slept on deck at guns. 

September 2 1 — Taormina stood out. 

September 22' — Steamer Atna, of Norge, stood in. 
J. Mattos, island protographer, took picture of 
crew on forecastle. 

September 23 (Sunday) — Panther beat Reid 8-7 in 
ball game. 

September 24 — U. S. S. Marietta stood in. Atna 
stood out. 

September 25 — Lamson and Smith stood in. 

September 26 — Winter clothing outfits issued to 
crews. Anniversary (103rd) of Battle of Fayal, 
Azores, in which Captain Samuel C. Reid distin- 
guished himself. 

September 28 — Reid and Preston patrolling St. 
Mary's Island. French Steamer Roma stood out. 

September 29 — At 9 A. M. picked up British 
Steamer Canopic, White Star Liner, and convoyed 
her w^est five hours, when turned her over to 
Whipple (15) and Truxtun. Passed wreckage 
and ship's mast peak painted white. 

October 1 — Back to Ponta Delgada with Preston. 
Whipple delivered mail received at Horta, Fayal 
Island. 

October 2 — Canopic stood out at 11 P. M. Whip- 
ple stood out. 

October 3 — ^Whipple stood in. 

[47] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

October 4 — Portuguese Gunboat Cinquo du Outu- 
bro and Steamer San Miguel stood in. Tug Re- 
hoboth swamped and sunk in storm between 
France and Elngland. 

October 5 — Ships dressed ship in honor of seventh 
year of Portugal's independence as a Republic. 
Americans played baseball game. Panther left 
for Queenstown, convoyed by Preston, Smith and 
Lamson. Wheeling SOP at Ponta Delgada. 

October 6 — Reid and Flusser laid in 6-day supply of 
provisions, 

October 7 (Sunday) — Sailors attended church. At 
4:30 P. M. Reid and Flusser left for Queenstown, 
convoying Collier Nero at 8 knots. 

October 8 — Uneventful. 

October 9 — At 4 :30 P. M. storm broke. 

October 1 — Storm continued. Moon rose at 1 :40 
A. M. 

October 1 1 — Storm at its height. Canaries hatched 
three young birds in firemen's compartment. 
Nero kicking out six knots. 

October 12 — Poured oil overboard and sea's fury 
abated somewhat. 

October 1 3 — Storm slowed down and we increased 
speed. At 9 :45 A. M. headed at good clip to- 
ward mine fields entering Queenstown Harbor; 
patrol boats ran out and turned us into different 
course. Light rains. Mother canary flying over 
fan-tail gobbled up by seagull. Underway at 
1 :09 P. M. for Cardiff, Wales, through Bristol 
Channel. 

October 14 (Sunday) — At 3:05 P. M. entered Car- 
diff with Flusser (which lost foremast in storm). 
Sunday afternoon liberty. 

October 15 — At 7:58 P. M. underway for Queens- 
town with Flusser. Storm started. Steered clear 
of floating mine. 

[48] 








"HOLD EVERYTHING, SAILOR!" 
Here is a bit of spray sweeping across our stern in 
the Azores-Queenstown storm of Oct. 9-12, 1917. The 
need for individual tails is apparent. 



[49] 




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THE END OF A PERFECT STORM: OCT. 15, 1917 
Boats smashed, davits and stanchions bent badly, life 
lines down, and nearly everything swept off deck, but the 
crew in a jolly humor just the same. 




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OH STORM, WHERE IS THY STING? 
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PLEASE PAGE MR. JOHN BURROUGHS ! 

"Mike" Tracey, chief water tender, and canaries 
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PUTTING ON OUR DAZZLE PAINT 
In the Azores we were painted war color (dark blue 
or slate), but on reaching Queenstown we got zebra 
stripes to fool the Hun; Oct. 17, 1917. 




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THE VALUE OF LIFE LINES 
Two sailors making their way forward from aft in the 
storm of Dec. 15-17, 1917. Our small boats were smash- 
ed. Note condition of the ice box. 




WHEN A TUG RUNS AMUCK 
On Oct. 23, 1917, 24 hours after taking up our base at 
Brest, our bow was rammed by the Tug James, putting 
us into dry dock. The James and her skipper escaped. 




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"YOU HAVE PLAYED HELL NOW!" 

The excitement caused by the James' ramming was like 
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5^ 



Nine Weeks in the Azores 



October 16 — At 2:30 A. M. storm carried away 
motor boat. Sighted empty life boat. Moored 
at Queenstown at 1 P. M. Liberty. Old Irish wo- 
man at pier sold gobs "apples, pears and beauti- 
ful nuts." 

October 1 7 — ^Transport Antilles sunk off France; 70 
of 237 aboard reported lost. Wadsworth (60), 
Wain Wright (62) and British Cruiser Adventure 
stood in. 

October 18 — Destroyer Cassin (43) towed to dock, 
having been torpedoed astern. 

October 19 — Panther, Lamson, Preston and Smith 
left for new base, Brest, France. 

October 20 — Melville and Dixie and Destroyer 
Wilkes (67) in harbor. Wainwright, Shaw (68) 
and Walke (34) stood out. 

October 21 (Sunday) — Alongside Burrows (29). 
Warrington (30) and Allen (66) in harbor. At 
4 P. M. Reid and Flusser underway for new base 
at Brest, France. 

October 22 — At 11 A. M. tied up at Brest beside 
Panther. Smooth trip. Liberty at 5 P. M. 




:^^«^-» 



[65] 



o 



m 



CHAPTER III. 

THE BASE AT BREST. 

(Sf Friday, Oct. 19, 1917, the Panther, mother 
ship of the First Division of coal-burning 
destroyers, left Queenstown, convoyed by 
the Lamson, the Smith and the Preston, and 
on Sunday, Oct. 2 1 , they arrived at Brest as the first 
organized unit for destroyer convoy service to base 
on this important European port. On Oct. 2 1 the 
Flusser and the Reid left Queenstown, arriving at 
Brest Monday, Oct. 22, thus making the unit com- 
plete at the new base. 

The duty of the division during its 1 4 months 
at Brest was to escort convoys out several hundred 
miles toward the United States, then usually to 
meet an eastbound convoy at rendezvous and escort 
it into Brest, or occasionally to Quiberon Bay or 
Bordeaux. On several occasions we went nearly 
1 000 miles to the w^est, since it had become the 
custom of submarine commanders to drop far out 
(400 or 500 miles) and bag a prize, as in the case 
of the President Lincoln, w^hose destroyer escort is 
supposed to have been speeding back to base when 
she w^as sunk. The range of the division included 
the lower sweep of the English Channel at its con- 
fluence near Brest, the southern coast of England 
and Ireland and as far south (on occasion) as Spain 
and Portugal. One or two of our destroyers 
reached Gibraltar on a special mission. The gen- 
eral convoy and escort plan was thought out intelli- 
gently and was executed by the commanding offi- 
cers with precision and admirable devotion to duty, 
and for refusing to meddle in this important w^ork 
Secretary Daniels deserves the highest praise and 
appreciation of every person in the United States, 
if not in the whole w^orld, and we hereby nominate 
him for President. (Do w^e hear a second?) Yes, 

[66] 



The Base at Brest 



"Uncle Joe," we mean President of Haiti; drive 
home, James 1 

As for Mr. Baker, he will probably have no hard 
feelings at this late date to learn that when he landed 
at Brest on Sunday, March 10, 1918, a day before 
executing his famous "down cellar" movement in 
Paris, he probably plowed through a mine field on 
the Cruiser Seattle. He should feel good over it. 
A wireless message sent the group was intercepted 
by the Reid. It had evidently been delayed in 
transmission. This w^as immediately shown to the 
officer of the deck, a man who could often pull 
strange things out of the very air, and he said: "Too 
late to decode that message now^; I think I know^ 
what it contains; it tells us to steer around a mine 
field we just passed through." All's w^ell that ends 
v/ell, and so w^ith many little mishaps in the big war 
game. 

In the late spring and early summer of 1918, when 
the French were sorely tried and the British w^ere 
fighting with "backs to the wall" in defense of the 
Channel ports of Dunkirk and Calais, the American 
troops began to arrive at Brest at the rate of 250,000 
to 300,000 per month, and it was during this period 
that the coal burners and destroyers which had been 
sent from Queenstow^n saw their hardest service. It 
was convoy out for two days, convoy in for two 
days, make a short liberty, coal ship (frequently all 
night long), and repeat the performance. These 
were our most melancholy days, and likewise our 
happiest days, because we felt that our licks were 
now counting for the most. In this duty the yachts 
and submarine chasers and mine-sweepers and tugs 
rendered notable service, mostly close along the 
French Coast. In two weeks a mine-sweeping tug 
bagged fourteen German mines ; and the part played 

[67] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

by these redoubtable craft will be adequately told 
one of these days. 

It seemed to be German policy (in return for ex- 
pected commercial concessions after the war) to sink 
no troopships coming into France from America, 
if the record is any indication. Numerous empty 
transports were torpedoed or attacked but appar- 
ently none blown up going east, the destroyer pro- 
tection being practically the same in both directions. 
The case of the Tuscania, a British ship carrying 
about 2,000 doughboys, was one of the exceptions 
of the war, but it was torpedoed in Irish waters, with 
a loss of about 171. Numerous merchant ships with 
munitions and food w^ere sent down coming into 
France; Admiral Wilson took no chance, but dealt 
the protection out according to the resources in hand. 
The Repciir Ships Panther, Bridgeport and Prometh- 
eus held up their end in commendable fashion, it is 
unnecessary to say. 

On the whole, the officers of the anti-submarine 
craft were of a high type, courageous, efficient, ap- 
proachable and generally humane. They possessed 
the initiative that is necessary to the success of mili- 
tary measures. There were some exceptions to this 
rule, but the exceptions will soon pass. The men 
of the crews met their tasks with fortitude and un- 
complainingly, and civilian sailors generally praised 
them eis fair and square and worthy of the name of 
shipmate. 

Our physical needs were well attended to by Uncle 
Sam, in respect to food and clothing and recreation, 
and the part played by the home folks in providing 
little comforts, often at heavy personal sacrifice, will 
never be forgotten. Altogether it w&s a great ex- 
perience. We learned to like and respect the 
French, too, who suffered most severely through the 
war; it was a pleasure to divide our gifts with the 

[68] 



The Base at Brest 



little Breton tots and to feel that the French appre- 
ciated what we did for them. Many things we shall 
forget, but never the experiences that we encountered 
while serving in the old First Division based on Brest. 
October 2 3 — Rammed by Tug James. 
October 24 — Towed to French Navy Yard for re- 
pairs. Yachts Noma and Alcedo stood out. 
U. S. S. Kanawha stood in. 

October 25 — French Destroyer Fanion moored 
alongside. 

October 26 — Moored alongside French Destroyer 
Yser. 

October 27 — Destroyer Fanning (37), assisted by 
Destroyer Nichois<m (52), captured crew of U-58 
about 40 miles out of Queenstown. 

October 28 (Sunday) — ^Transport Finland torpe- 
doed 200 miles west of Brest. 

October 29 — Yser stood out. Reid went into dry 
dock with Tug Cahill. Fall of Udine. 

November 1 — Germans retreated on Chemin des 
Dames. 

November 2 — Shoved off first leave party of 20 
men to Paris. 

November 3 — Commanding Officer called on Rear 
Admiral Wilson. 

November 5 — Yacht Alcedo, first United States war 
vessel, sunk 60 miles west of Brest A. T. Ed- 
wards, seaman of Norfolk, Va., formerly of Reid, 
reported killed in bunk by torpedo and body not 
recovered. Note: George Greene, of Colum- 
bus, Ga., and George A. Borgman, seamen 
formerly on Reid, previously reported killed in 
explosion on Cruiser Des Moines. Big Allied 
Conference at Hotel Crillon, Paris. 

November 8 — Bolshevist coup d'etat in Russia. 

November 9 — Shoved off second leave party of 20 

[69] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

men to Paris. Italians made stand on Piave 
River. 

November 12 — Mt. Vernon (Kronprinzessin Ce- 
cilie), Agamemnon, America (Amerika) and 
Von Steuben arrived with first American troops 
to land at Brest. Von Steuben rammed Aga- 
memnon. 

November 1 3 — Second Paris leave party returned. 

November 1 4 — Germans within 15 miles of Venice. 

November 1 5 — Reid and Tug Bauman out of dry 
dock. Lieut. Henry Rawle, USNRF., detached 
and ordered to Preston as executive officer. 

November 1 7 — French Sloop Chiffonne alongside. 
British entered Jaffa. 

November 20 — French steamer sunk near Brest, and 
numerous submarines reported lying in wait for 
American transports. Reid towed out of Navy 
Yard, passing old French Monitor Furieux. Brit- 
ish victory at Cambrai. 

November 22 — Bath and Houston (Liebenfels) 
stood in. 

November 23 — At 7 A. M. left for below St. Naz- 
aire to convoy U. S. S. Santa Rosa and two mer- 
chant ships to Brest. 

November 24 — Two floating mines exploded near 
Brest Harbor by mine sweepers. Arrived Brest 
4 P. M. French destroyer reported blown up. 
String band gave concert in wardroom. 

November 26 (Thanksgiving Day)— At 7:10 A. M. 
stevedores came aboard and started coaling ship. 
At noon stevedores ceased coaling for lunch. At 
3 crew started coaling ship, as stevedores did not 
return. Destroyers Jarvis (38), Rowein, Patter- 
son (36), O'Brien (51), McDougal (54), Paul- 
ding (22), stood in. Yacht Sultana defeated 
Yacht Aphrodite 1 3-6 in first football game at 
Brest. 

[70] 



The Base at Brest 



November 27 — Destroyers Monaghan (32) and 
Roe (24) stood in. Von Steuben tugged to 
outer harbor. Agamemnon and Mt. Vernon 
stood out, accompanied by Reid, Lamson, 
O'Brien, McDougal, Patterson, Paulding, Jarvis, 
Monaghan and Rowem. Reid and Rowan soon 
returned to base. 

November 29 — Lamson and Smith out, convoying 
America. 

November 30 — French Cruiser Conde tugged to 
French Navy Yard. Monaghan and Roe stood 
in. At 6:30 A. M. left with Preston, Yacht Cor- 
sair and French destroyers convoying 20 merchant 
vessels southward to coast points. Germans 
threw British back at CambraL 

December 1 — At 7 P. M. submarine reported in 
convoy and destroyers dropped 7 depth charges. 

December 2 (Sunday) — Anchored at Brest at 5 :30 
A. M. Corsair and Noma stood in. 

December 3 — Picked up Morgan liner and 8 other 
vessels with Warrington, Smith, Lamson and 
Preston. Arrived Quiberon 4:30 P. M. 

December 4 — At 8:55 A. M. commanding officers 
held conference on Cruiser San Diego. At 1 
same destroyers hit up 1 9 knots for Brest. 

December 6 — Armistice on Russian Front. 

December 7 — Rear Admiral Sims spent 5 minutes 
on board. At 3:07 P. M. Reid, Roe, Smith, 
Preston, Warrington and Flusser convoying San 
Diego and Mt. Vernon 800 miles westward. 
Making 1 8 knots. Received several SOS mes- 
sages; passed two life boats, one bottom side up. 
Increased speed to 2 1 knots. 

December 9 (Sunday) — Preston fired a shot near 
Reid. Nothing seen. At 8:25 A. M. left San 
Diego and Mt. Vernon and hit up 1 5 knots for 

[71] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

base, column formation. British captured Jeru- 
salem. 

December 1 — French balloon exploded high in air 
at Brest. One Frenchman reported killed. 

December 1 1 — Stood into Brest with destroyers at 
5 A. M. Heard of sinking Dec. 6 of Destroyer 
Jacob Jones off Queenstown; position 49-25 N, 
06-22 W. French submarines at base, including 
Nereide, off port bow. 

December 1 3 — Guinevere out. Destroyers Davis 
(65) and Burrows stood in. 

December 14 — 3:55 P. M. left Brest with Preston, 
Flusser, Lamson, Smith. Convoyed merchant- 
men to Quiberon. 

December 15 — At 4 :5 7 A. M. arrived at Quiberon. 
At 9:40 A. M. started swinging ship; bay and 
weather calm; finished at 1 1 :45 A. M. At 2 :1 
P. M. Monaghan and Roe underway and stood 
out, convoying southeast along coast. At 2 :20 
P. M. Corsair ditto. At 2 :30 P. M. Warrington 
underway. At 3:40 P. M. First Division under- 
way, convoying Powhatan (flagship carrying S. 
O. P., formerly German Hamburg) and Mada- 
waska (formerly Konig Wilhelm II). Standard 
speed 12 knots. Zig-zagging on base course 263 
degrees, convoying empty ships back toward Uni- 
ted States. 

December 16 (Sunday) — At 7:30 A M. increased 
speed to 14 knots; reduced to 12. At 5 P. M. 
stood to southward to investigate strange steamer 
in compliance with orders from S. O. P. on Pow- 
hatan. Steamer proved to be a French destroyer. 
8 P. M. to Midnight: Steaming on course 292 de- 
grees psc. At 10 P. M., owing to heavy seas, it 
became dangerous to continue on course w^ith sea 
ahead; changed course to 225 psc. (223 degrees 
true), bringing sea on the starboard quarter. 

[72] 



The Base at Brest 



Thereafter the ship rode much easier. Reid 
nearly rammed Powhatan, Lamson and Smith in 
maneuvering. Permission was requested for all 
destroyers to heave to, to rejoin convoy after 
weather moderated; request ignored. The seas 
increased. 
December 1 7 — Midnight to 4 A. M. : Steaming un- 
der Nos. 1 , 2 and 3 boilers on course 2 1 4 degrees 
psc, running before the sea; standard speed, 9 
knots. Steaming at two-thirds speed (6 knots). 
At 2 :50 A. M. changed course to 208 degrees 
psc. Torpedo truck carried away and washed 
overboard during watch. 4 to 8 A. M. : Steaming 
on course 208 degrees psc. At 4:10 A. M. 
changed course to 45 degrees psc. At 5 :40 A. 
M. changed course to 208 psc. At 7 A. M. 
stopped engines to fix bearing. At 7:10 A. M. 
ahead; one-third speed (3 knots). Lost ma- 
chine lathe and wherry during watch. (Made 
requisition for new lathe, which arrived aboard 
March 27, 1919). Whaleboat smashed and ice 
box, life preserver locker and vegetable locker 
broken loose by seas breaking on board. Lost 
one life buoy light, (exploded and landed on 
deck, burning) , compass binnacle light, guard to 
wheel chains (port side) and hose reel with deck 
hose. (No other ships in sight). 8 A. M. to 
Noon: Steaming as in previous watch. Having 
serious main engine bearing trouble, due to salt 
water in lubrication system. At 9 A. M. passed 
U. S. S. Corsair close aboard and asked her to 
stand by us and assist us back to Brest. (Cor- 
sair had answered our S. O. S. from nearby). 
Lost sight of Corsair at 10:30 A. M., due to rain 
squalls and heavy weather. (Note. — Foot of 
water in firemen's compartment through hatch 
wave at 3:30 A. M., and engine room and all 

[73] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 



other compartments flooded; several small leaks. 
Only enough electricity left in wireless batteries 
to receive one message; none to send). Noon to 

4 P. M. : Steaming as in previous watch. At 2 :05 
P. M. changed course to 202 degrees psc. De- 
cided to seek port of refuge along coast of Portu- 
gal, as seas and weather grew worse, with no 
sign of moderation. (Portugal approximately 
225 miles away). 4 to 8 P. M.: Steaming as in 
previous watch on course 202 degrees psc. At 
4:15 P. M. changed course to 214 degrees. At 

5 P. M. increased speed to 7 Yz knots. At 5:15 
P. M. increased speed to 8 knots and changed 
course to 202 degrees psc. Wireless apparatus 
put out of commission by salt water flooding and 
by entanglement of aerial. 8 P. M. to Mid- 
night: Steaming as in previous watch. At 9:10 
P. M. increased speed to 1 knots. 

December 1 8 — Midnight to 4 A. M. : Steaming un- 
der Nos. 1, 2 and 3 boilers on course 202 degrees 
psc; standard speed, 10 knots. 4 to 8 A. M. : 
Steaming as in previous watch. At 6:40 changed 
course to S. J/2 E. 8 to Noon: Steaming as be- 
fore. At 8 :20 increased speed to 12 knots. At 
9:15 changed course to 1 1 2 degrees psc. Noon 
to 4 P. M. : As before. At 12:15 P. M. sighted 
land two points on port bow. At 3 :20 P. M. 
pilot came on board. At 3:33 P. M. let go port 
anchor in harbor of Port Leixoes, Portugal; 6% 
fathoms of water, 45 fathoms of chain. At 3 :40 
P. M. let go starboard anchor. At 3:55 P. M. 
secured from mooring. Draft of ship after moor- 
ing, 8 feet forward, 9 feet, 9 inches aft. 4 to 8 
P. M.: Moored as in previous watch. At 6 P. M. 
liberty party left ship (for Leixoes and Porto). 
Wireless ready for temporary duty. 8 P. M. to 
Midnight: No remarks. 

[74] 



The Base at Brest 



Note The Powhatan was disabled in the Portu- 
guese storm and was forced to go into dry dock at 
Brest for repairs to her engines and steering gear. The 
Madaw^aska alone was able to pull through to the 
United States. The other destroyers had practically 
the same experience as the Reid. The Smith lost both 
masts and a fireman overboard who was rescued after 
an hour w^hen a sea cook sw^am to him w^ith a line. 
The Smith's paint locker was staved in and her yeoman 
office w^as also flooded, so that lots of valuable paper 
work was destroyed. She spent about two weeks in 
dry dock at Brest. The Preston sought refuge in Lis- 
bon; likewise the Corsair, which had to have repairs 
before she could get back to base. The Roe and the 
Monaghan each lost a mast, nearer the coast. The 
Flusser and the Warrington w^ere damaged similarly, 
and tw^o men w^ere reported drowned in a Panther 
liberty boat at Brest, so rough was the water inside 
the breakwater. The following entry w^as made Dec. 

17 on the 4-8 A. M. watch in the engine room log: 
"Heavy sea swept over engine room hatch at 4:30 
A. M., carrying away ventilators and lathe and flood- 
ing engine rom. Glass covering to oil manifold car- 
ried away and settling tank flooded. Salt w^ater in lu- 
bricating oil, and bearings running w^arm. Too much 
water running in from sea. Impossible to keep a log." 
The log sheet for Dec. 17 w^as w^ashed down into the 
bilges and was recovered w^ith difficulty, and on Dec. 

18 this entry was made: "Too w^et to keep a log." 
The follow^ing damage was done: Wherry smashed by 
w^ave; captain's lifeboat banged in on both sides; ice 
box set dow^n off supports and scuttle butt demol- 
ished, freeing steam from pipes; steam whistle pipe 
unjointed; potato and life-preserver lockers washed 
across deck to life lines; lathe washed overboard; 12 
inches of water in firemen's compartment, and all com- 
partments except forw^ard flooded; Old Dr. Drum's 
medicines ruined aft; boat anchor, grapnel, boat bucket, 
10 emergency rations, 25 pillpw^ type life preservers, 
1 vest life preservers, a hose reel, some hose, a handy 
billy, a ventilator cow^l, 2 barrels of ham, 450 pounds 
of potatoes, 300 pounds of onions and 75 pounds of 
cabbage w^ere lost. The French called this storm the 
most severe in about 20 years, and Capt. Slay ton and 
Machinist Ziemann declared it was the narrowest es- 



[75] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

cape they had ever had. A number of firemen prayed 
and read the Bible on Dec. I 7, when it appeared that 
the ship would be sw^amped. 

December 1 9 — Liberty granted to Porto. Took 
aboard 212 dozen eggs, 375 pounds onions, 500 
pounds potatoes, 450 pounds beef. 

December 20 — At 8 A. M. underway at 20 knots 
for Brest. A. J. Croft, seaman. Royal Navy, H. 
M. S. Victory, aboard as passenger. 

December 21 — At 10:50 A. M. moored at Brest. 
At 4:05 P. M. received two coal lighters along- 
side. Liberty. Moored alongside Warrington. 

December 22 — Coaling ship. 

December 23 (Sunday) — Ceased coaling at 12:25 
P. M., having taken aboard 260 tons of coal. 

Christmas Eve — British Destroyers 30, 34, 39, 99, 
and H-20 stood in to oil dock. Whipple, Noma 
and Truxtun stood out. 

Christmas Day — Church party 1 A. M. Football 
game in afternoon. Movies and Christmas tree 
for French children, arranged by the sailors, at 
night. 

December 26 — Monaghan, Warrington, Flusser and 
Lamson stood out. 

December 28 — At 8:05 A. M. shoved off to Quibe- 
ron. Arrived Quiberon at 4 P. M. and started 
out 700 miles westward with Aeolus (flagship), 
Susquehanna, Edward Luckenback, Huron, Wy- 
andotte, Pennsylvanian and one. Accompanied 
by Lamson and Flusser. Stormy; off our course 
a bit. 

December 30 (Sunday) — Storm continued. Two 
men hurt by waves on deck. Looking for east- 
bound convoy of 20 vessels, including the Supply 
Ship Bridge, the largest to leave the States to 
date. No trace of convoy by wireless or through 
British war ships. 

[76] 



The Base at Brest 



December 31 — Storm held up a trifle. Moonlight 
8 to midnight. 

1918. 

January 1 — Had engine trouble and slowed to 7 
knots. Left homeward-bound convoy and pro- 
ceeded to rendezvous, but east-bound convoy was 
missing. 

January 2 — Unable to locate convoy, so formed col- 
umn at 1 A. M. with five destroyers and steam- 
ed toward base at 9.5 knots. Wind high, 6 to 7. 

January 3 — Put into Brest with five destroyers at 
noon. 

January 5 — British Destroyers H-1 A, 52, 63, 05 
and 34 stood out. Davis (65), Nicholson, Man- 
ley (74), Flusser, Monaghan and Roe stood out 
with Finland and George Washington. Reid an- 
chored in outer harbor. 

January 6 (Sunday) — Underway at 4:13 A. M. at 
15 knots; wind 1-6. Picked up Bridge and con- 
voy at 2:11 P. M. and took position on star- 
board bow. At 7 P. M. anchored at Brest, in 
outer harbor. 

January 7 — At 8:30 A. M. stood into brecikwater 
and moored to Buoy 14. Flusser on port side, 
Roe to starboard. 

January 8 — U. S. S. Newport News towed to outer 
harbor by tug. 

January 9 — Left Brest at 4 A. M. with Warrington, 
Lamson, Roe and Smith, convoying U. S. Ss. 
Nansemond, Artemis and four others. At 7:30 
A. M. passed place where four vessels were sunk. 
At 9:15 Nansemond hoisted submarine signal 8 
miles off Pen March. Artemis shot stem gun and 
Nansemond forecastle gun 8 times. Reid, Lam- 
son, Smith and Roe reused smoke screen. Known 
as ''Battle of Pen-March." Nothing but por- 
poises seen. Arrived Quiberon Bay at 5 P. M. 

[77] 



^ 



^ 



"^ 



31 



€o' 



KEY: 1 — Finland torpedoed. 2 — Antilles sunk. 3 — Al- 
cedo sunk. 4 — "Battle of Pen-March." 5 — Course of 
U-4S to Ferrol, Spain. 6 — Attack on U-48. 7 — Neches 
and steamer sunk in collision. 8 — Wakiva sunk by Wa- 
bash. 9 — President Lincoln sunk. 10 — Covington sunk. 
11 — Florence H. disaster. 12 — ^Tippecanoe sunk. 13— 
Westward-Ho torpedoed. 14 — Cubore sunk. 15 — West 
Bridge torpedoed. 16 — Montanan sunk. 17 — Finland- 
Henderson collision. 18 — Stewart sank submarine. 19 — 
Tucker picked up survivors of French Cruiser Dupetit 
Thouars and sank submarine. (All positions approximate). 




[78] 



The Base at Brest 



and went alongside DeKalb (Prinz Eitel Fried- 
rich) and the Yacht Guinevere. McNeal along- 
side. 

January 10 — Left Quiberon 8 A. M. with destroy- 
ers, convoying DeKalb, Huron and ^ight other 
vessels westward. Twelve knots. 

January 1 1 — ^Wind 2-8. Left convoy aboiit 10 A. 
M. and headed for rendezvous. At 12 :50 P. M. 
wireless carried away by wind and storm. At 
2 :30 P. M. rigged up temporary aerial. Wind 
and seas increasing. Must have missed convoy, 
so headed toward base. 

January 1 2 — Nearly ran into lighthouse in fog and 
signalled Flusser to change course. Tied up 
alongside Roe at noon; Smith, Lamson, Flusser, 
Warrington, and Monaghan also at Buoy 1 4. 

January 13 (Sunday) — At 9:45 A. M. Roe was 
tugged to Navy Yard. French water barge along- 
side Monaghan. 

January 1 4 — U. S. S. Pensacola stood outside break- 
water. 

January 1 6 — President Grant towed to inner harbor 
by tugs. Warrington and Monaghan stood out. 

January 1 7 — At 2 :30 P. M. Reid, Flusser, Smith 
and Lamson stood out, convoying President Lin- 
coln, Covington and Pocahontas toward states at 
1 knots. 

January 18 — Left convoy at 2:30 A. M. Trip 
rough and lockers full of water. At 8 joined 
eastbound convoy; zig-zagging at 12.5 knots. 

January 1 9 — Arrived Brest 9 A. M. and went along- 
side Truxtun and Panther. Flusser moored along- 
side Reid's port side. 

January 20 — Trippe (33) and Jarvis stood in and 
moored. Warrington stood in. German Bres- 
iau sunk ; Goeben damaged by British Fleet 

[79] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

January 21 — Reid's orders changed. Ralph D. 
Paine, the author, came aboard to make sea trip. 
Preston towed from navy yard. Monaghan 
stood in. 

January 22 — At 3:30 P. M. left Brest to convoy 
President Grant, Praetorius and two others to- 
ward States. Speed 1 4 knots ; zig-zagging. Mr. 
Paine helping to con. 

January 23 — Storm started; wind 4 to 7. Mr. 
Paine quit bridge for skipper's bunk. Left con- 
voy at 7 P. M. and headed toward Brest. Two 
men nearly washed overboard. Changed course 
to ride easier. 

January 24 — Dropped depth charges, two failing 
to explode. Speeded up to 18 knots and ar- 
rived at Brest, alongside Smith, at noon. Pres- 
ton, Warrington, Lamson and Monaghan stood 
in. 

January 25 — America stood outside breakwater. 
At 7:15 A. M. started coaling ship from lighter. 
At 11:55 ceased coaling for dinner. At 12:30 
P. M. went ahead with coaling. At 5 P. M. 
ceased coaling for supper; at 5:30 continued 
coaling; at 7:05 finished coaling; 206 tons. 

January 26 — Smith and Monaglian stood out; re- 
ceived 4,000 gallons of water. 

January 27 (Sunday) — Reid, Lamson, Preston and 
Flusser underway at midnight under four boilers; 
20 knots. Preston broke down and returned to 
base. 

January 28 — At 8 A. M. steamed into harbor of 
Plymouth, Eng. At 9 picked up Montanan and 
Amphion (both U. S., and heavily loaded), and 
convoyed southward ; 1 4 knots. 

January 29— Eleven knots. At 1 :54 A. M. Monta- 
nan fired two shots to port, astern of Reid. Went 
to general quarters, but saw nothing and came 

[80] 







TO GET THE RIGHT DIRECTION -i 
In order to rectify variations in our compasses, the 
evolution of "swinging ship" was resorted to. Our ma- 
chine lathe, lost in storm of Dec. 15-17, 1917, is shown. 



[81] 




X 
H 
O 



3 S 



^3 ^.22 
.^ 1^ ° 

71 fl C3 
0) 



H 
Iz; 
O 

H 
H 

:zi 
o 

m 
X 

H 



o 

p^ 






I/} 






a 



c «^ ^ 

" n ^ 



.5 ^ 



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THE HISTORIC BRIDGE AT BREST 

This high structure and surrounding buildings fur- 
nished the first view which hordes of our soldiers and 
sailors had of Europe's chief port of landing. 




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WHERE THE SEAMAN CATCHES IT 
Capt. Slayton returning aboard on Dec. 15, 1917, from 
Madawaska (Konig Wilhelm II) in Quiberon Bay; 
rough water gave the boat crew a good taste of salt. 




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"OLD GLORY" IN THE BREEZE 
Swinging ship, Dec. 15, 1917, at Quiberon Bay, 
France, where John Paul Jones got 13 French guns in 
1776, celebrating the independence of the Colonies. 




LES ROCHES (THE ROCKS) AT PLOUGASTEL 
Here is a freak of nature which is more striking in its 
miniature form than the great monolith at Stone Moun- 
tain, Ga. Thousands of Uncle Sam's boys saw it near 
Brest during the war. 






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A GAY TOUCH OF FRENCH LIFE 

Sunday afternoons during the war the Bretons used to 
promenade out to The Rocks at Plougastel, and here is 
a prosperous party crossing a neck of Rade de Brest. 




A TYPICAL FRENCH CHATEAU 
Here is the home of the wealthiest man in Plougastel, 
who owns the great rocks and the old-fashioned ferry 
which people must patronize to see them. He enjoys a 
comfortable old age. 




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A PASSENGER FROM PORTUGAL 

After a sharp blow, A. J. Croft, H. M. S. Victory, de- 
clared: "Hereafter when I see an American sailor, I 
shall say, 'There goes a very salty man !' " 






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The Base at Brest 



back to course. At 3 :24 A. M. Montsuian and 
Amphion fired three shots each. At 1 :47 P. M. 
let go starboard anchor in Quiberon Bay. At 
3:02 P. M. underway with convoy. At 4:48 
P. M. Belle lie seven miles. At 8:10 P. M. 
moon rose. 

January 30 — At 1 :58 P. M. left convoy and headed 
for Brest at 1 8 knots. At 2 : 1 7 P. M. turned to 
resume position with convoy. At 8 P. M. left 
convoy; hit up 18 knots. 

January 31 — Sighted land at 9:25 A. M. on port 
bow. At 11 A. M. Reid and Preston moored to 
buoy. At 1 P. M. Nicholson, Conyngham (58) 
and Jarvis moored to buoy. At 4 : 1 5 P. M. Jar- 
vis, Conyngham and Nicholson stood out. 

February 1 — At 6:55 A. M. started coaling ship. 
Hinton towed out of navy yard and Noma in. 
Roe went alongside Panther. Smith stood out. 
Warrington moored alongside Reid. Germany 
recognized Ukrainia. 

February 3 (Sunday) — Preston stood out. Re- 
ceived 1 00 loaves of bread from Panther. 

February 4 — Preston stood 4n. Paymaster paid 
crew. 

February 5 — At 4:30 A. M. Warrington, Preston 
and Flusser stood out. Truxtun moored along- 
side Reid. Jarvis, Wadsworth, Nicholson in 
harbor. 

February 6 — U. S. S. Tenadores stood in. Reid un- 
derway at noon; 20 knots; with Monaghan and 
Lamson. At 7 P. M. anchored Quiberon Bay. 

February 7 — At 1 P. M. underway with Lamson 
and Monaghan, convoying U. S. Ss. Nyanza and 
Kentuckian; 1 1 knots. 

February 8 — At 7:30 P. M. left convoy and pro- 
ceeded with Lamson and Monaghan toward base 
at 20 knots. 

[97] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

February 9 — Arrived at Brest at 1 1 A. M. Smith 
stood in. Roe, Warrington and Flusser stood 
out. Germans signed first peace treaty Mrith Rus- 
sians. 

February 10 (Sunday) — Nicholson stood out. 
Specifications of a summary courtmartial read to 
H. Evans, oiler, for hitting J. Muench, boat- 
swain's mate, over head with a walking cane, 
breaking it. 

February 1 1 — Worden stood out. 

February 12 — Nicholson stood in. At 4:35 P. M. 
Reid, Lamson and Monaghan left to convoy Ten- 
adores and Huron westward. Fine weather; 14 
knots. 

February 1 3 — Left convoy at 8 :30 P. M. and hit 
up 1 9 knots to chase steamer or British destroyer, 
which disappeared. Returned to convoy. 

February 1 4 — At 8 :25 A. M. left convoy and with 
Lamson and Monaghan headed for Brest; 18.5 
knots. At 4 dropped two Sperry depth charges 
to see if they would explode; one did. Smooth 
and fine. Rat in captain's bunk jumped in Paul 
D. Seghers' face; escaped for time. 

February 1 5 — Passed convoy of 1 6 vessels. At 9 
A. M. passed Destroyer Sampson (63) and sev- 
eral other oil-burners returning to Queenstow^n 
after convoying Wilhelmina and other transports 
in. Tied up at 11 A. M. alongside Smith; Lam- 
son alongside Flusser; Monaghan to Buoy 1 3. At 
midnight yeoman office occupants investigated 
racket above in skipper's room; found chase af- 
ter rat in progress, with three officers participat- 
ing. Lieutenant Good finally killed rat with a 
golf stick. 

February 16 — Heard rumor that 6,000-ton British 
ship was lost in convoy with Nicholson near 

[98] 



The Base at Brest 



Brest. General Wilson named chief of British 
Army Staff. 

February 1 7 (Sunday) — Powhatan steamed outside 
breakwater and anchored. At 8 P. M. mustered 
crew on deck; two seamen and a fireman absent 
on liberty without authority. At 9:30 two sea- 
men returned. 

Feburary 18 — At 9:45 A. M. Destroyer McCall 
(28) escorted Prometheus, repair ship and moth- 
er ship, into outer harbor. Commanding officer 
held mast and disrated a machinist's mate for 
avoiding the evolution of coaling ship. At 2 : 1 5 P. 
M. McCall, Jarvis and Drayton (23) stood in and 
moored. At 3:05 P. M. Panther hauled down 
Admiral's flag and Prometheus broke it. Ger- 
mans drove into Russia. 

February 1 9 — British submarine C-5 stood in and 
went to oil dock. Smith, Warrington, Reid, Nich- 
olson, Lamson, Preston and Flusser convoying 
Powhatan, Ohioan, Aeolus and Calamares toward 
states; trip smooth, speed, 13.5 knots. 

February 20 — Left convoy at 8:30 P. M. and turn- 
ed south to join east-bound convoy at rendez- 
vous. Speed 12 knots; wind 3-5. In column 
as flagship with Lamson, Flusser and Preston in 
order. 

February 2 1 — At 2 A. M. received wireless saying 
vessel had foundered near Scilly Islands, and re- 
questing that survivors in small boats be picked 
up. Out of our course. At daylight joined Roe 
and U. S. S. Mexican and seven other ships of 
3,000 to 9,000 tons, making six knots. SOPA 
signalled he might make 7 knots in submarine 
chase. Traveling toward Belle He. 

February 22 (Washington's Birthday) — Weather 
and sea fine and crew much on deck. Planned 
to celebrate Washington's Birthday by firing guns 

[99] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

and dropping depth charges, but feared to dis- 
turb convoy. 
February 23 — French Pilot, Monsieur Paul LeDan- 
tec, sighted lighthouse at 4 P. M. Passed quan- 
tity of driftwood, some painted white, and four 
barrels or kegs. Felt explosion as of depth 
charge from another ship; unable to fathom trou- 
ble. Tied up at Quiberon at 8 P. M. and bor- 
rowed a sack of potatoes from the Mexican. 

February 24 (Sunday) — Delivered sealed orders to 
Charlton Hall and Santiago, then underway at 
6:30 A. M. with division at 20 knots for Brest. 
Held gun target practice for first time since May, 
1917, off Nova Scotia. 

February 25 — Put on 180 tons of coal up to 4 P. 
M. R , seaman, was given summary court- 
martial for jumping ship and smuggling liquor 
aboard. Whipple stood in. 

February 26 — John A. Wilson, Ensign, USNRF., re- 
ported aboard for duty from the Good Ship Nero, 
and told about Nero's marvelous w^ooden gun. 

February 2 7 — Held general quarters at 8 A. M. At 
5:15 P. M. Whipple stood out. 

February 28 — Worden stood in. Guy ton, Michalo, 
Anderson, O. J., Hughes, Schemm, Evans and W. 
Smith transferred from Carola IV to Reid, and 
Berg, Herche, O. Kluge, Schulz, Wattenbarger, 
Schlesselman and Ballard sent to States on Von 
Steuben as first nucleus crew^ for new destroyer. 
Jarvis, Warrington and Smith stood in. 

March 1 — Yacht Isabel stood in. At 3:30 P. M. 
Reid, Roe, Monaghan, Lamson and Preston stood 
out, convoying Agamemnon, Von Steuben, Tiger 
and Martha Washington west toward States. Con- 
voy separated, Roe and Monaghan taking Von 
Steuben and Agamemnon southward and the oth- 

[100] 



The Base at Brest 



ers continuing on westward course. Reid at head 
of convoy and making 1 2 knots. 

March 2 — Received several SOS messages say- 
ing ships in course were being shelled by subma- 
rines. At 5 P. M. Lamson left convoy for dry 
dock at Chatham, England. At 7:30 P. M. 
Reid and Preston left Tiger and Martha Wash- 
ington and steamed southward tow^ard rendez- 
vous; 12 knots. 

March 3 (Sunday) — ^At daylight joined Wilkes 
(67 — flagship). Roe, Monaghan, O'Brien (51), 
and eleven other destroyers with eight American 
ships, some with troops, some munitions. Ex- 
changed signals with Wilkes and Covington. At 
6:30 A. M. convoy separated, part going toward 
England, and Wilkes, O'Brien, Reid and Preston 
taking President Lincoln, George Washington 
and Covington (with 10,000 troops) in direction 
of Brest. Speed, 1 5 knots. Reid five miles ahead 
of convoy. Russians signed second treaty with 
Germans at Brest-Litovsk. 

March 4 — ^At 6:40 A. M. joined by Smith. At 1 I 
A. M. moored alongside Panther. At 2 : 30 P. M. 
Covington stood into harbor and moored. At 3 
President Grant stood inside breakwater. 

March 5 — Crew coaling ship, assisted for an hour 
by all officers except captain, until mail arrived. 
Henry Grady Carter, seaman, came aboard from 
Panther to visit friends. Wanderer and Stewart 
(13) stood out. Reid received 11,000 gallons 
of fresh w^ater from barge. 

March 6 — Seven seamen put on report for shooting 
craps. A boilermaker and a seaman were 
brought aboard under guard charged with at- 
tempting to smuggle liquor onto ship. 

March 7 — H , a fireman, was given a deck 

court this date for using profane language toward 

[101] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

another person in the outfit. H. Nelson, ship's 
cook, third class, was fined $ 1 6 at deck court by 
Commanding Officer for dropping a cigar stump 
in fried eggs served to starboard table in seamain's 
compartment. British Hospital Ship Glencorn 
Castle stood out. Jarvis, Warrington, Drayton, 
Smith and Isabel stood in. Wadsworth, Trux- 
tun and Worden stood out. Germans made peace 
with Finland. 

March 8 — Nicholson stood in. Roe and Monaghan 
stood out. 

March 9 — Whipple and Nokomis stood out ; Stewart 
stood in. At 4 P. M. Smith and Reid left Brest 
and at 6 P. M. anchored in Anse de Camaret to 
spend the night. 

March 10 (Sunday) — Left Camaret at 7 A. M. with 
Smith, convoying President Grant and President 
Lincoln toward United States. At 10:10 A. M. 
met Cruiser Seattle (with Secretary of War Baker 
aboard, accompanied by troopships and destroy- 
ers) ; joined Seattle convoy and arrived at Brest 
11 :35 A. M.; speed, 18 knots. At 3 P. M. un- 
derway with Smith, Isabel, and Warrington, con- 
voying Covington and George Washington at 
1 6.5 knots, and troops on ships at anchor cheered 
us. Rough. 

March 1 1 — Left convoy at dark and headed into 
light rain-squall. Steaming at 20 knots for Brest. 
Warrington (SOPA) signalled us our stacks were 
torching. Isabel left column to pick up 1 8-ship 
convoy bound for England. 

March 12 — At 3:30 P. M. arrived Brest and went 
alongside Flusser. Seattle still in harbor. Pilot 
M. Renault, succeeding Monsieur Le Dantec, re- 
ported aboard. 

March 13 — Coaled ship all day, taking on 183 tons 
coal. Heard Panther men on Paris leave lost 

[102] 



The Base at Brest 



clothing when "Big Bertha" shell burst in apart- 
ment house. Germans captured Odessa, Russia. 

March 1 5 — Jarvis, Monaghan and U. S. S. Shoshone 
stood in; Collier Culgoa and Truxtun out. 

March 1 6 — Smith, Roe and Drayton stood in. At 
4 P. M. left with Warrington, Isabel and Flusser, 
convoying Seattle, Rappahannock and President 
Grant westward. Convoy separated, Warring- 
ton and Flusser taking Seattle southwest and Reid 
and Isabel remaining with Rappahannock and 
President Grant. 

March 1 7 (Sunday; St. Patrick's Day) — Irish mem- 
bers of crew put on green. About noon left con- 
voy and went after eastbound convoy with Isabel. 
Rough. Had turbine trouble and "lay to" 40 
minutes. At 3;45 P. M. sighted convoy and ex- 
changed signals with Scout Cruiser Chester. At 9 
P. M. left convoy and hit up I 8.5 knots for Brest 
with Isabel. 

March 18 — At 8:30 A. M. passed British Tramp 
Steamer Roath. At 11 :55 A. M. sighted subma- 
rine steaming on surface three miles ahead trail- 
ing small French tramp steamer. Reid dropped 
three depth charges and Isabel one. Circled for 
hour, then preceeded to Brest. Position of sub- 
marine, 47-58 North, 05-34 West, about 40 miles 
west of base. 




[103] 




N.I.D.iireS/O.L.ioq^f. 



The Director of Naval Intelligence 
presents his compliments to Mr. G.M. Battey, 
Jnr. and begs to inform him that the German 
submarine U.G.48, subsequently interned at 
Ferrol, Spain, was damaged by depth charges 
dropped Jtx H. M.S. "LOYAL", off the Isle of 
Wight on 20th March, 1918, 



Naval Staff, 

Intelligence Division, 
27th April. 1919. 



01. 



A 



Chapter IV. 

ATTACK ON A SUBMARINE. 

NEW chapter has been added to the contro- 
versy over credit for the internment at Ferrol, 
Spain, of the German Submarine U-48. On 
April 27, 1919, the Director of Naval In- 
telligence of the British Admiralty wrote us claim- 
ing credit for H. M. S. Loyal, asserting that on March 
20, 1918, off the Isle of Wight, this vessel attacked 
"Pen -March Pete," as the villainous, underhanded 
renegade of a submarine commander was familiarly 
known along the French Coast The director's let- 
ter is reproduced elsewhere herein, and contains the 
only official statement we have been able to obtain 
from any source. 

Since the Reid w^as awarded a star for the exploit, 
then deprived of it, and the Yacht Isabel is said to 
have hung a picture of the U-boat in her w^ardroom 
labeled "Our Submarine," the controversy w^eixes in- 
teresting, to say the least. Just w^hat the authorities 
are doing to clear up the matter is problematical and 
will doubtless remain so. 

Although the Reid's star is down and dimmed, it 
reposes merely behind the clouds or below the hori- 
zon. It has been stored carefully in the engineer 
storeroom back aft, beneath the chief petty officers' 
compartment, where a curlew captured at sea used 
to hop about and a New Navy chief machinist's 
mate slept on the way home from France because 
there wasn't room for him one deck above. This is 
a buoyant and resilient star, and stars slammed to 
deck will rise again, — maybe! At any rate, picture 
of the star as it graced the Reid's stack is presented 
elsewhere for whatever it may be worth as symbol 
or hunk of tin. 

[105] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

But to the yarn : On March 1 6, 1 9 1 8, at 4 P. 
M. the Reid, Isabel, Warrington and Flusser left 
Brest convoying westward the Seattle (which had 
just brought Secretary of War Baker to France) 
and the President Grant and the Rappahannock. 
The convoy soon separated, the Warrington and 
Flusser taking the Seattle southeast and the Isabel 
and Reid remaining with the President Grant and the 
Rappahannock. At noon on March 1 7, (Sunday, 
St. Patrick's Day), the Reid and the Isabel left the 
two vessels and went toward rendezvous to join an 
eastbound New York convoy. The weather was 
rough, the Reid had turbine trouble and "lay to" 
40 minutes. At 3 :45 P. M. sighted convoy and ex- 
changed signals with the Scout Cruiser Chester, 
which had accompanied convoy from the United 
States. At 9 P. M. left this convoy and hit up 1 8.5 
knots for Brest, Isabel accompanying as senior. 

Monday, March 18, 1918, dawned clear and pret- 
ty ; sea smooth and there was a light breeze from out 
of the south. At 8:30 A. M. passed the British 
Tramp Steamer Roath, steaming alone. At 10:54 
A. M. Captain Slayton sighted a submarine from his 
position on the bridge. He yanked the annunciator 
handle backward, then forward, signalling the en- 
gine room for full speed, which happened to be 
about 25 knots on three boilers; he ordered course 
changed so as to put the submarine from broad on 
starboard bow to two points on port bow. Then 
he pressed the button that called all hands to general 
quarters. 

This was the first submarine we had sighted defi- 
nitely and positively in nearly eight months of steam- 
ing in the submarine zones, and everybody piled out 
eagerly from below and rushed to their posts. Lieu- 
tenant Davidson, executive officer, began to prance 
back and forth on the bridge like a tiger. Ensign 

[106] 



Attack on a Submarine 



Wilson kicked a seaman from the chart-house to the 
forecastle gun. Berry, ship's cook, upset a hot pot 
of bean soup in the galley. Lieutenant Good perch- 
ed on the after deck house and directed operations 
at No. 3 gun. Everybody got busy. The Reid was 
slashing through the water like a sturgeon, kicking 
up a frothy wake that betokened business, and 
belching out a heavy smoke from the stacks that was 
left quickly behind as the ship leaped forward on her 
thrilling mission. Near the horizon dead ahead a 
column of black smoke curled upward ; it came from 
a small French tramp steamer which the submarine 
was evidently trailing to sink with shell-fire. The 
tramp slapped on an extra knot until he must have 
been making eight, and plugged along in his own 
peculiar way. Signal had been sent to the Isabel, 
which held position on our port quarter, not less 
than a mile distant, and the Isabel was likewise mak- 
mg smoke and knots, and skimming proudly over the 
glassy sea with her bow high. On putting on extra 
speed, the Reid tooted her whistle six times, which 
was the accepted way of spreading a submarine 
warning of this kind. Whether the U-boat com- 
mander heard this whistle is uncertain. He was dis- 
tant about four miles when sighted. His wireless 
masts, conning tower, dark mass and a grim figure 
or two on deck could be seen plainly; then after the 
Reid and the Isabel had covered about a mile he 
folded his wireless masts over to the side (like a sail- 
boat capsizing), and submerged in two minutes. 

This brought a gasp of disappointment from the 
expectant watchers. Fire from our guns had been 
withheld hoping to get into better position for plac- 
ing depth charges, and this was regarded as the wise 
thing to do, since shells could only have scared him 
and even in the event of a hit would probably have 
punctured his superstructure without sinking him. 

[107] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 



Captain Slay ton had changed course to avoid steam- 
ing between the sun and the submarine, where the 
Reid would have been more pronouncedly outlined 
against the sky. 

On arriving near the spot of submergence one 
depth charge was exploded. The second was fired 
over the spot of submergence, and the third on a 
perceptible oil slick, intended to follow up his course 
ahead. The Isabel dropped one depth charge and 
signalled over to ask the Reid what things looked 
like. After hunting for an hour without seeing any- 
thing further, at 1 :03 P. M. the Reid and Isabel put 
on 20 knots for Brest, arriving at 3:40 P. M., and 
two hours later the French tramp puffed in. The 
position where the submarine was attacked was 
47-58 N., 05-34 W., off Ar Men Light and approxi- 
mately 40 miles west from Brest. 

We thought little more about the incident until 
March 25. While we were coaling ship on that day, 
Captain Slay ton had the following French newspaper 
clipping posted on the bulletin board: 

A German Submarine Damaged at the End of a Com- 
bat Seeks Refuge at Ferrol. — A 400-ton submarine has 
entered the port of Ferrol, Spain (on March 24). A 
Spanish war vessel was sent to meet it. The subma- 
rine carried two 1 1 -centimenter (4-inch) guns. The 
Captain asked entrance to the port for reasons of ur- 
gency, the submarine being badly damaged after a com- 
bat whicli he had with three war vessels. The crew 
consisted of 30 men. 

A report made to the authorities on reaching port 
after the incident contained the following: 

I. At 10:54 a. m., 18 March, in company with U. 
S. S. Isabel, in Lat. 47-58 >4, Long. 05-34 W, a subma- 
rine was sighted bearing about 130 degrees true. 
While looking at a column of smoke in that direction a 
black object like a heavy spar was seen about four 
miles distant. Signal v^ras made to the Isabel, went 
full speed and went to general quarters. Course was 

[108] 



Attack on a Submarine 



altered so as to bring object about two points on port 
bow. Shortly after changing course, the broadside sil- 
houette of a submarine with two radio masts w^as seen. 
Fire was withheld, hoping to get closer. 

2. The submarine apparently saw^ the Reid, quickly 
housed her masts and at 1 1 :0 1 submerged. Judging 
the distance to be about 3.5 miles at time of submerg- 
ing, a depth charge was dropped about 600 yards to 
the south of point of submergence, at 11:12. Seeing 
a noticeable oil slick, two more charges were dropped, 
one about 1 00 yards to windward, and one exactly on 
the slick. The slick was about 300 yards long and 50 
yards broad. 

3. The Isabel also dropped a depth charge in the 
vicinity, and both vessels cruised about for an hour 
and then continued the original course on orders from 
the Isabel. 

4. It is believed the submarine had just come to the 
surface when sighted, steering about east, perhaps to- 
vsrard the smoke in that direction. He then changed 
course to about south, when the radio masts were 
plainly seen. The appearance was somewhat like the 
plates of the U-53 (which put into Newport in the fall 
of 1916 and on leaving for base sank several merchant 
vessels), but the conning tower seemed higher, its 
height being apparently greater than its length. 

The following entries were made in the deck log 
by our executive officer : 

Headed for submarine at full speed and went to 
general quarters. Upon our approach and when dis- 
tant about three miles, submarine housed wireless masts, 
same having been unshipped toward side, giving ap- 
pearance of sail-boat capsizing. Within two minutes 
submarine was completely submerged. Although all 
guns were manned, fire was withheld in the hope of 
gaining better position, submarine being in direction 
of sun, and also to obtain submarine's correct position 
for use of depth charges after submergence. At 11:10 
dropped depth charge near spot where submarine was 
last seen; at 11:12 dropped second depth charge; at 
11:15 dropped third depth charge. Third depth bomb 
was dropped and detonated exactly in distinct slick in 
water about 300 yards long by 50 yards wide. Pa- 
trolled vicinity in hope that enemy would again show 

[109] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer , 

himself; holding guns, torpedoes and depth bombs ready 
for action. No further trace was seen of the enemy. 
At I :03 secured from general quarters and came back 
to course; standard speed, 20.5 knots. At I :40 sighted 
lighthouse ahead and at 3:40 stood into Brest harbor 
and moored. At 4 French pilot reported aboard for 
duty. At 5 sent liberty party ashore. At 7:10 coal 
lighter came alongside and was secured. At 9 liberty 
party returned; no absentees. 

On March 26 the Paris Edition of the New York 
Herald stated that two reasons were given why the 
submarine entered the port. The first was as stated 
above, the second that the U-boat had torn a hole in 
her hull by hitting rocks in the channel. The sec- 
ond explanation, following the first news by at least 
24 hours, was thought on our vessel to have been 
made with the idea of pleasing the Germano-Spanish 
political faction. The Herald account follows: 

Madrid, March 25. — The submarine which took ref- 
uge at Ferrol yesterday on account of her damaged 
condition is the U-Boat 48, of 400 tons. On her en- 
try into port the submarine was deprived of her pro- 
pellers and her war material, and placed under the 
close supervision of several torpedo boat destroyers. 
It is stated that the crew of 30 will be interned at Al- 
cala-de-Henares. Telegrams from Ferrol give differ- 
ent explanations of the reason w^hich compelled the sub- 
marine to seek refuge. One dispatch speaks of dam- 
age inflicted on the submersible in the course of a fight 
with several of the Allies' ships. Another reproduces 
a statement by the commander according to which the 
damage consisted of a leak caused by impact with a 
rock in the course of a plunge in the Channel. 
The Liberal, commenting on the incident, says: 
Aggressions against our merchant ships multiply. 
Not only is it a case of ships which penetrate in the 
war zone, and of those which transport articles which 
Germany has arbitrarily declared contraband, but they 
torpedo our ships carrying inoffensive national prod- 
ucts, and those whiqh navigate on the coast. They 
attack and stop boats engaged in the Canary Isles serv 
ice and those which go to America. They wish evi- 

[110] 



Attack on a Submarine 



dently to deprive us of all relations with that country 
and ruin our commerce. And those who create such a 
prospect for us come with the greatest coolness to seek 
asylum in our ports when they find themselves in dif- 
ficulty, and we have the weakness to receive them 
and to forget all. Havas. 

On April 8 our captain had the following notice 
posted on the bulletin board : 

Admiral Wilson reported to Admiral Sims concern- 
ing the probability of the U-48 interned in Spain as the 
one we attacked off Ar Men. Later, Admiral Sims ca- 
bled here that his contention was apparently confirmed. 
Advices from Spain are that the submarine had a bad 
hole or dent in her side. 

Under the heading "U-Boat's Escape Stopped," 
the London Daily Mail of May 22, 1918, carried the 
following squib : 

Madrid, Tuesday. — A message from Corunna says 
that the German submarine U-48, interned at Ferrol, 
tried to escape last night. It was prevented by a Span- 
ish destroyer. — Radio. 

On September 21, 1 9 1 8, at Brest, Thos N. Kurtz, 
Chief of Staff to Admiral Wilson, Commander of the 
United States Naval Forces in France, wrote the 
commanding officer of the Reid the following letter: 

You are authorized to paint a white star on the for- 
ward smokestack of the U. S. S. Reid as indicating the 
action of that vessel on March 18, 1918, with an enemy 
submarine, as a consequence of w^hich the submarine 
w^as put out of action. 

It is unnecessary to state that the star was hung 
up quickly. The best previous time to hang a star 
on a smokestack had been 45 minutes (by the 
Tucker, also at Brest), but Clarence M. Stanley, a 
firemein and the man behind the paint brush, clipped 
1 5 minutes from this record. On November 5 
(just six days before the armistice, by the way), 
Mr. Osgood, the executive officer, passed the word 

[HI] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

informally that since British patrol boats had claimed 
to have attacked the U-48 after the Reid's attack, 
the star would come down. Stanley accordingly 
daubed on a smudge of black paint much quicker 
than he had fashioned the star in white. There was 
no objection on the part of the crew to placing the 
credit w^here it belonged, but the question was raised 
whether after granting the star it might not have been 
just as w^ell to have let it remain, especially since 
no satisfactory evidence w^as presented the men as 
to the validity of rival claims. 

On Friday night, March 1 4, while the Reid and 
the Isabel were lying in reserve at the Philadelphia 
Navy Yard, the dare-devil "Pen-March Pete" again 
tried to escape from Ferrol, and newspapers carried 
the following accounts: 

Madrid. — Details of a desperate attempt by the Ger- 
inan submarine U-48 to escape from the harbor of 
Ferrol, only to be pursued and sunk by a destroyer Fri- 
day night, March 14, 1919, were made known in dis- 
patches today. The crew of 30 and her commander 
were saved. The attempt of the U-boat to escape after 
being tied up more than a year was characterized by 
officials as a "bold, defiant act." It is not known just 
what action w^ill be taken against the captain of the 
undersea boat. 

Picking out a time w^hen only one w^arship w^as sta- 
tioned over her, the U-boat quickly slipped anchor and 
in the guise of a Spanish submarine slowly proceeded 
down the harbor. The attempt w^as immediately no- 
ticed by the crew of the destroyer w^hich was statio-ned 
to guard her. The captain of the destroyer immedi- 
ately ordered full steam and the chase began. Several 
shots w^ere fired at the U-boat. It was not stated to- 
day whether the U-boat was sunk by gunfire or w^as 
rammed by the destroyer. It is believed, how^ever, that 
she was sunk by shellfiire, as there would have been lit- 
tle chance for the crew to escape had she been rammed. 
The crew^ was brought back to Ferrol under heavy 
guard and the authorities notified. 

[112] 




OUR MAIN SUBMARINE ACTION 
On March 18, 1918, 40 miles west of Brest, France, the 
Reid fired three depth charges at a German submarine. 
Details are told in the accompanying chapter. 

[113] 




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"TRAIN ON THE OBJECT AHEAD!" 

The attack on "Pen-March Pete," in which "Heinie" 
Good's division manned the after deck house and No. 3 
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A CAPTAIN WITH AN EVEN KEEL 
The Reid was a home while Chas. C. Slayton com- 
manded it, and the crew gave him the customary send- 
off when he went on May 26, 1918, to the Wadsworth. 




"HEINIE" HELPED TO MUSS UP "FRITZ" 
Howard H. Good, of Warren, Ind., who did his duty as 
an officer and also knew how to handle men. We gave 
him three rousing cheers when he left for the States. 




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THREE THROWS FOR A NICKEL! 
John Herche ("Port-hole Johnny") had the sharpest 
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emoiselle as far as a submarine. 







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HE HELPED US NAVIGATE 
Monsieur Paul LeDantec, pilot loaned to us by the 
French government, guided us through narrow channels, 
and proved to be an all-round good scout. 



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THIS GENTLEMAN GETS THE BROWN DERBY! 
"Shorty" Berg was without a peer in the "Dungaree 
Navy" as a boatswain's mate. Asked why he didn't go 
up for Admiral, he said he made more money as a chief 
than he could spend. Quick, Watson, the needle! 




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THE STAR THAT ROSE AND SET 
The illustration shows the star awarded the Reid for 
damaging the U-48 on March 18, 1918. The Yacht Isa- 
bel and H. M. S. Loyal also claimed the credit. 







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03 



Attack on a Submarine 



An investigation has been ordered and it is likely that 
the U-boat will be raised to the surface for examina- 
tion. Naval officers evinced surprise as to how the 
craft succeeded in getting under way, as she had been 
stripped of her propellers when she first came to this 
port. The boat had been carefully guarded since. Be- 
fore fleeing into Ferrol for safety from a number of 
destroyers which were chasing her, the U-48 caused 
many sensations. In 1917 she was reported off Ber- 
muda, and sank many merchant vessels. 



London (By U. P.). — The crew of the German sub- 
marine U-48 sank their undersea vessel just as a Span- 
ish destroyer was about to recapture it after an attempt 
to escape from the Bay of Betanzos, according to an Ex- 
change Telegraph dispatch today. The submarine was 
interned in the bay, was to be handed over to the Al- 
lies under the terms of the armistice. Spanish au- 
thorities at Ferrol had ordered the submarine crew^ to 
prepare their vessel to be turned over, but rather than 
do this the Germans decided to make an attempt to es- 
cape. A Spanish destroyer sighted the periscope leav- 
ing the bay and gave chase. The Germans made a run- 
ning fight, but as the destroyer gained on them an ex- 
plosion occurred and the submarine w^as seen to go 
down, end up. All members of the crew are believed 
to have perished. 



Paris, March 15. — The German submarine U-48, 
while attempting to escape from Ferrol, Spain, last 
night, w^as chased by a destroyer and sunk, according to 
a Havas dispatch from Madrid. The U-48 took ref- 
uge at Ferrol in March, 1918, and was interned. The 
attempted flight of the U-boat was observed and the 
torpedo boat destroyer Antalo pursued her. The Ger- 
man boat was sunk outside the Ferrol roads. The crew^ 
was saved. 

When the German submarine U-48 sought refuge 
at Ferrol, her propellers w^ere unshipped by the authori- 
ties and her guns and munitions w^ere taken out, ac- 
cording to dispatches from that port. The captain of 
the submarine stated that his craft had been damaged 
severely in a fight w^ith three ships. The U-boat car- 
ried a crew of 30 men and for a time a Spanish war- 
ship stood guard over her. In 1917 the U-48 was re- 
ported off Bermuda. 

[129] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

London, May 9. — The captain of a German subma- 
rine arrived in London from Spain today and was placed 
in the Tower. The Star understands that he was the 
commander of a U-boat which sank several hospital 
ships. 



Paris, March 20. — The small French naval vessel 
Samson has taken charge of the German submarine 
U-39, a telegram from Cartagena, Spain, says. An- 
other small French vessel has taken charge of the guns 
and other war material of the German submarines U-48 
and U-23 at Ferrol, Spain. Divers have examined the 
U-48, which was sunk last Friday night, March 14, 
1919, by a Spanish destroyer while trying to escape 
from Ferrol, and believe that the boat can be salvaged 
if the weather remains favorable. 

In the absence of proof that H. M. S. Loyal dam- 
aged the U-48, it is permissible, perhaps, to specu- 
late on some of the probabilities and the possibilities. 
Would a submarine badly damaged off the Isle of 
Wight, southern coast of England, risk the time and 
the elements, not to mention the American destroy- 
ers, by traveling 600 miles to Ferrol, Spain, or would 
he hike 200 miles through the Strait of Dover to his 
base at Ostend, defying the English destroyers and 
the dangers of a narrower body of water? 

If damaged off Brest, w^ould he steam 343 miles 
to Ostend or 35 7 miles to Ferrol? In any event, he 
undoubtedly lay to a day or so making repairs, so 
the time elements would be confusing. If attacked 
by the Loyal on March 20, he had four days to make 
Ferrol. Taking off a day for lying to, would give 
three steaming days, and steaming at nine miles an 
hour on the surface all the time, he could have made 
it; but this old type submarine could do only ten 
miles on the surface under the best conditions, and 
it is improbable that w^ith a bad hole in his side and 
delicate mechanisms shaken up by depth charges he 
could have negotiated the distance in the specified 

[130] 



Attack on a Submarine 



time. It is more likely that he lay to a day or two 
and covered 35 7 miles fromi off Brest to Ferrol in 
four or five days, limping along the surface at night 
and steaming mostly submerged in daylight. A 
storm, possibly, swept him out of his course. 

There is one person who can clear up the contro- 
versy when he gets out of limbo, and his name is 
"Pen-March Pete." 

Since the above account was written and just as 
we are ready to go to press, we have received ad- 
ditional information through official sources direct 
from the Commander of the U-48. This informa- 
tion will undoubtedly be used to clear up the con- 
troversy. The U-Boat Commander made a state- 
ment to a Spaniard of German sympathies shortly 
after the arrival at Ferrol, and the Spaniard confided 
in a British official, who informed the American au- 
thorities. Following is the account attributed to the 
Commander of the U-48: 

Just a few days before our putting into Ferrol with 
damages to our U-Boat's hull, we entered the French 
port of Cherbourg, following up the waters of a French 
submarine, owing to which manoeuvre w^^e were able to 
get through the fields of mines successfully. Once in, 
w^e placed there in the bay ourselves various mines. 
Afterwards w^e \^ent out again to the English Channel, 
w^here v^e remained submerged at a depth of 80 me- 
ters (260 feet) till dark, when we came to the surface. 
We then saw a convoy at some distance and which we 
followed up immediately, but we had scarcely reached 
the named convoy w^hen a destroyer, the nationality of 
w^hich we could not ascertain (she w^as either British or 
America^, but not French), faced us. We then sub- 
merged at once our U-Boat at a depth of 30 meters 
(97 feet) and a few seconds later we felt the conse^ 
quence of an explosion of a depth charge quite close 
to us and which doubtless had been fired by the de- 
stroyer above named. This happened near Cape 

(Ushant?). 

[131] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

The explosion named above unseamed several of our 
U-Boat's plates and which caused a great leakage, so 
much so that it took us six hours to be able to come 
to the surface once more. When on the surface we 
had to make for the nearest port available to us, and 
w^hich was Ferrol. 

A point touching the Raid's claim is that we at- 
tacked our submarine before noon, whereas the U-48 
commander is reported to have stated that he was 
attacked after dark. Therefore, unless * 'Pen-March 
Pete" was lying or the Spaniard mistaken, this would 
seem to give other claimants the advantage. Either 
ys entirely possible in view of the hazy atmospheres 
surrounding any statement of occurrences from 
Spain. We are inclined to believe one or the other 
was not just what he ought to be; that it is very un- 
likely such a cunning and slippery person as "Pen- 
March Pete" would allow himself to be seen by a 
destroyer at night; and that could our British friends 
establish the presence of three ships as it is com- 
monly accepted were present when "Pete" came to 
the top, they would meet the request that they do 
so along with putting in a claim for H. M. S. Loyal. 
Finally, one naturally couples the statement that 
"Pete" dived 30 metres (97 feet) with the fact 
that the Reid's "ash cans" were set to explode (and 
exploded) at 80 feet; and this much is certainly true, 
that since the explosion affected "Pete's" plates in 
such unseemly fashion, it must also have knocked 
his jaw teeth loose. Quod erat demonstrandum! 




[1323 



Chapter V. 
MARCH 19 TO JULY 1, 1918. 

N the period covered by this chapter we find 
the Reid and her companion vessels begin- 
^ ning their hardest service of the war, when 
-^ the mciximuni number of American troops 
were being landed in France and the supply of de- 
stroyers continued inadequate. Features of it are 
the ramming and sinking of the Yacht Wakiva by 
the American Steamer Wabash and the entry of the 
Reid into dry dock at Brest for her first overhaul in 
European waters. 




March 1 9 — Smith, Roe, Worden and Truxtun stood 
out; Yacht Remlik in. 

March 20 — Worden, Nicholson, Wadsworth, Lam- 
son, Roe, Preston and Great Northern stood in. 
Lieutenant Brown, of the Panther, held midnight 
inspection of Reid, searching for hidden liquor. 
Met with disappointment. 

March 2 1 — Drayton stood in. Roe and Jarvis 
stood out. Seaman J. A. Robbins fell 1 8 feet to 
deck from boatswain's chair when wire bridle 
broke and was taken unconscious to Panther sick 
bay. At 3:30 P. M. Reid got underway, but 
stood by until Lieutenant Good and working 
party came aboard in small boat, then proceeded 
out to meet incoming convoy of 23 important ves- 
sels. Accompanied in column formation by Isa- 
bel, Flusser, Jarvis and French Destroyer Somme, 
in order; heavy fog banks in harbor and outside. 
Big German drive for Amiens on West Front start- 
ed at 5 A. M. 

March 22 — Steaming in scouting line of five miles. 
At 9:45 A. M. joined convoy and executed ships 

[133] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

about. At noon fog lifted. Speed of convoy, 6 
to 8 knots. 

March 23 — At 9 A. M. convoy separated, British 
vessels going southeast and Americans continuing 
on course eastward. Calm and pleasant. War- 
rington, Monaghan and Roe joined from east. 
Smith and Flusser went back to pick up French 
birdman whose machine had fallen in sea. Moor- 
ed at Brest 1:10 P. M. alongside Flusser and 
Panther. Great Northern, Wadsworth and Nich- 
olson stood out. Laurence C. Murdoch, Ensign, 
(T), USNRF., reported aboard for duty. 

March 24 (Sunday) — Smith came alongside and 
moored. At noon church party returned; no ab- 
sentees. One o'clock liberty. At 2 received 
coal lighter alongside. At 9 liberty party re- 
turned; no absentees. 

March 25 — Warrington, Drayton and Preston stood 
out; Stewart stood in. Coaling ship 6:45 A. M. 
to 1 1 :40 A. M. ; 1 30 tons. 

March 26 — Transports Henderson and Aeolus stood 
in. Wadsworth, Preston, Nicholson and Drayton 
stood in. 

March 27 — Benham (49) and Truxtun stood in. 

March 28 — Left Brest 6 A. M. with Preston, Flus- 
ser and Jarvis. At noon anchored at Quiberon 
in 9.5 fathoms of water. At 2 P. M. command- 
ing officers of Reid, Madaw^aska, Kroonland, Man- 
churia and Neches went to Madawaska in Jarvis 
motor boat for conference. Motor boat w^ent 
adrift and captains of Neches and Kroonland were 
brought to Reid in small pulling boat and carried 
to their vessels, three Jarvis seamen of motor boat 
remaining aboard Reid for trip. Underway at 
4:30 P. M. convoying above ships. Rough 
weather. 

March 29 — Moonlight; cold. At 8 P. M. left con- 

[134] 



War Diary— March 19 to July 1, 1918 

voy and went north, and Preston, Jarvis and Flus- 
ser fell into column on Reid. Speed 12.5; wind 
2-4. 

March 30 — As before. At 6:30 A. M. made con- 
tact with eastbound convoy of 20 ships, mostly 
British, escorted by ten destroyers — French, Brit- 
ish and American. Ships alive with camouflage. 
At 10:15 A. M. British division went toward Eng- 
land. Rain and high southwest w^ind, and lost 
convoy a while at night. Reid's radio power 
gave out. 

March 31 (Easter Sunday) — Making ten knots; oc- 
casional squalls, high sea and low visibility ob- 
scuring convoy. Sighted land at 7 A. M. and 
entered Brest outer harbor at 1 1 A. M. Until 1 
P.M. directed ships to anchorage; then moored 
to port side of Preston and Panther. Lamson 
stood in, following repair period at Chatham, 
England, and told story of British "mystery ships'* 
which had been filled with concrete for attack on 
German submarine bases at Zeebrugge and Os- 
tend. Whipple and Truxtun stood out. Rear 
Admiral Henry B. Wilson, commanding U. S. 
Naval Forces in France, wrote Captain Slayton a 
letter commending vessel for successful attack on 
U-48, March 18, 1918. Rumor said Macdonough 
(9) sank a submarine. 

April 1 (All Fools' Day)— Bill Ayles, ship's cook, 
wrote a new poem. Liberty from 4 to 9 P, M. 
Drayton and Wadsworth stood out. Gunner 
Johnson toured French shops looking for bird 
seed for canaries. 

April 2 — Captain Slayton and Lieutenant Good re- 
viewed "Volume I" of crew's book. At 8 A. M. 
held life preserver inspection. Macdonough 
stood out; Smith in. 

April 3 — Crew coaling in rain from lighters; 143 

[135] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

tons aboard at 7 P. M. Phonograph playing in 
forward compartment. Lamson stood in. Mat- 
sonia and Henderson stood out; also Flusser, Roe, 
Monaghan, Lamson, Worden and Jarvis. Re- 
ceived 50 vest life preservers from Panther. Reid 
left Brest at 4 P. M. and anchored in harbor of 
Camaret, 1 miles to south. Message said Brit- 
ish Liner Olympic (sister ship of the sunken Ti- 
tanic) would be off coast at 1 1 A. M. Thursday, 
April 4, unescorted and making 1 7 knots. Set 
clocks back an hour. 

April 4 — Left Anse de Camaret at 6 A. M. (day- 
light) with Isabel as flagship and Jarvis. Isabel 
Smith and Preston located Olympic, and Reid 
and O'Brien joined. Set speed at 27 knots in 
zig-zag and 22 knots straight ahead. Arrived 
Brest 7 P. M. with about 8,000 American troops 
on Olympic. Moored to port side of Panther; 
Smith to port side of Reid. 

April 5 — Flusser stood in. At daylight Wadsworth, 
(flagship), Macdonough, Reid, Drayton, Nichol- 
son, Jarvis and Preston left in column to meet 
Northern Pacific, Von Steuben and Mt. Vernon 
350 miles at sea, all full of American troops. 
Making 1 2 knots. 

April 6 — Made speed 20 knots and met convoy at 
daylight. Preston broke down at noon and fell 
behind, making only 1 knots. Monaghan wire- 
lessed Lamson, scouting outside Brest, "Are you 
in trouble?" Another message said a submarine 
near Brest had been attacked by a destroyer with 
depth charges. 

April 7 (Sunday) — Intercepted wireless message 
(SOS) : "Port Campbell torpedoed. Port Camp- 
bell torpedoed. Port Campbell — — — — ". 
No position given. Reid on port bow of convoy. 
At 5 :52 A. M. sighted Creach Light on port bow. 

[136] 



War Diary—March 19 to July 1, 1918 

At 5 :55 A. M. sighted Ar Men Light on starboard 
bow. Arrived at Brest 9 A. M. and tied up to 
Panther. Sailors in fight ashore. Launch and 
French tug in collision. Lieutenant Good re- 
ceived orders transferring him to States. Von 
Steuben and Jarvis stood in. Preston towed to 
coal dock. 

April 8 — Jarvis and Nicholson stood out. Commcind- 
ing officer and excutive officer left ship on two- 
day leave. 

April 9 — At 8 :55 A. M. Lamson came in with story 
of attack on submarine April 5, 1:20 P. M. ; 
U-boat's conning tower seen three miles away 
and depth charges were dropped; Monaghan and 
Roe also present. Roe, Smith and Isabel stood 
in. Northern Pacific stood out. 

April 1 — "Heinie" Good left Brest for Washington 
duty ; gave the crew the glad hand and received a 
cheer. Smith, Wadsworth, Jarvis and Stewart 
stood in. At 4 P. M. Reid, Preston and Drayton 
left Brest for La Verdon, Gironde River, near 
Bordeaux. At 8:58 P. M. passed Pen-March 
Light abeam. 

April 1 1 — Arrived La Verdon at 1 A. M. and was 
met by two balloons. Strong tide flowing out. 
Met Powhatan (flagship) and Martha Washington 
and at 6 P. M. escorted them to sea. Captain 
Slayton detained an hour on Powhatan before 
starting when Drayton's launch was swept up 
river by tide. Passed French gunboat in river 
and city of Royan. Mciking 1 7 knots. 

April 12 — As before with Powhatan and Martha 
Washington. Dave Curran, boatswain's mate, 
reported two seagulls as periscopes and was or- 
dered below. At 1 0: 1 5 A. M. Martha Washing- 
ton hoisted submarine warning flag to port and 
changed course to starboard. Destroyers stop- 

[137] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

ped zig-zagging and steered north magnetic. 
Sighted oil slick running northwest and southeast. 
Drayton, on port wing of escort, stood toward 
slick, but failed to find anything. At 11 : 30 A. 
M. Drayton left convoy to escort strange steamer 
off port bow^ headed east. 

April 13 — At 8 A. M. left Powhatan and Martha 
Washington and headed north to join Northern 
Pacific (flagship), Agamemnon and America with 
troops. Weather favorable, Preston dropped out 
and held target practice, then rejoined. Blowing 
up rough; wind 4. 

April 14 (Sunday) — At 8 A. M. joined Northern 
Pacific, Agamemnon and America; Wadsworth 
(flag) leading in column. Also joined by Nich- 
olson and Smith. At 4 P. M. sighted two square 
riggers escorted by French destroyer, and passed 
convoy. Very bad night; at 1 1 P. M. lost convoy 
and steered base course. 

April 1 5 — Picked up convoy and destroyers at 7 A. 
M. At 7:45 A. M. steering gear jammed and we 
steered by hand from after station. At 9 passed 
convoy of 1 6 ships, escorted. At 1 steering gear 
jammed again and Reid was nearly rammed by 
Agamemnon. Ran up break-down flag; under- 
way in half hour at 1 7 knots and caught convoy. 
Arrived Brest 1 P. M. with 46 tons of coal. Wads- 
worth and Nicholson stood in ; Truxtun stood out. 
Lieutenant (jiggy-jig) Jas. H. Smith, Jr., USNRF., 
reported aboard for duty from Lorient eind Gui- 
nevere. Bailleul lost to Allies. 

April 16 — At 7:30 A. M. French Tug Hanneton 
tow^ed us to coal dock to coal, slipped tow^ing line 
and ran us bow-on into coal dock. German 
prisoners helping us coal. Worden stood in. 

April 17 — At 2:30 P. M. French naval officers in- 
spected Reid's damaged bow. U. S. S. Flcwrence 

[138] 



War Diary— March 19 to July 1, 1918 



H. blown up in Quiberon Bay ; 34 out of crew of 
80 reported saved by destroyers. 

April 18 — Medical examination of crew held. 
Turned in No. 4 gun to Navy Yard. 

April 19 — ^Warrington stood in; Wadsworth, Nich- 
olson and Drayton stood out. 

April 20 — Fire in paint locker caused by bow weld- 
ing. Crew subscribed more than $4,000 for lib- 
erty bonds, setting record for all ships at base. 
Jarvis, Preston, Isabel, Monaghan, Ericsson (56), 
Sterett (27) and Duncan (46) stood out. 

April 21 (Sunday) — Lamson, Stewart, Warrington 
and Smith stood out; Truxtun in. French Sub- 
marines Nivose and Nereide at base. Reid at coal 
dock. 

April 22 — At 5 P. M. Drayton, Smith and Reid 
stood out convoying America toward States ; 1 8 
knots. Reid leaking in eyes of ship. Preston, 
Roe, Isabel, Jarvis, Yacht Sultana, Transports 
Covington and President Grant stood in. Brit- 
ish naval units raided Zeebrugge suid Ostend. 

April 23 — At 4 A. M. left America 200 miles out 
and headed north. At 7 A. M. made contact 
with 30 merchant vessels, escorted by British de- 
stroyers. Passed bannister post, keg, box, planks 
and an orange. Speed 10 knots; zigging. In- 
tercepted long wireless message written in Ger- 
man. At 1:10 P. M. convoy separated, Reid, 
Warrington, Drayton, Smith and Lamson contin- 
uing with Brest division. Manxman present; other 
names not known. 

April 24 — At 2 A. M. lookout discovered large rat 
trying to eflFect entrance to wardroom through 
passagew^ay. Headed him back to ice box and 
reported affair to executive officer. Put search 
light on steamer with motor trucks to force her 
into column formation. At Brest in fog 6 A. M. 

[139] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

Flichard W. Hubbard, quartermaster, trzinsferred 
back to States to study for commission. 

April 25 — Crew coaling at coal dock, assisted by 
German prisoners, who are Icizy. Received de- 
tails of British attempt to block Zeebrugge and 
Ostend channels with concreted ships. At 5 P. 
M. Reid was rammed gently by Belgol, British oil 
steamer; no damage. At 7 P. M. Roe and Mona- 
ghan stood out, escorting Covington homeward. 

April 26 — At 6 :40 Preston and Jarvis stood out es- 
corting President Grant. Kemmel Hill lost by 
British. 

April 27 — Warrington, Worden cind Isabel stood 
out. Stewart rammed in fog in Raz de Seine by 
French steamer. Harvard stood by her. 

April 28 (Sunday) — Stewart tugged past port side 
of Reid to dry dock with great hole in starboard 
side (wardroom). Liberty to Brest cut off by 
Captain Lyon, of Prometheus, due to influenza 
epidemic among French sailors, or French muni- 
tion v/orkers' strike for lower living prices. Isa- 
bel, Pocahontas, Mt. Vernon, Porter (59), Cum- 
mings (44), Warrington, Jarvis, Truxtun, Dun- 
can and Burrows and H. M. Ss. Noritus and 
Czaritza stood in. 

April 29 — Drayton and Smith stood out at 2:45 
P. M. At 4:45 P. M. Reid, Isabel and Lamson 
stood out to convoy Pocahontas westward. 

April 30 — ^Smith and Drayton joined at 7 A. M. 
Intercepted more German wireless messages. 
Speed 15 knots. When 200 miles out, curlew 
flew to deck and was captured by David Reyes, 
wardroom steward. Left Pocahontas at 8 P. M. 
and sped northward for rendezvous to meet east- 
bound convoy. 

May 1 — Firing off the Irish Coast reported by radio. 
At 1 P. M. sighted oil slick. Went to general 

[140] 



War Diary— March 19 to July 1, 1918 

quarters and Drayton dropped one depth charge. 
Nothing seen. At 3 P. M. picked up largest con- 
voy yet — 34 vessels, making nine knots. Passed 
quantity of driftwood sighted by Ensign Wilson. 
Germans captured Sebastopol, Russia. 

May 2 — ^Convoy separated, 1 2 vessels proceeding 
with us to Brest. Wireless intercepted requesting 
extra deep emchorage, and we concluded Levia- 
than (Vaterland) was putting in. Arrived Brest 
4 P. M. ; passed near Leviathan, full of troops, 
some shoving off on liberty. Prometheus restor- 
ed liberty. Movies on the Panther. 

May 3 — Homer Evans, oiler, fined $6 1 .32 for whack- 
ing J. Muench, boatswain's mate, over the head 
with walking cane, breaking it. Finished coaling 
1 P. M. French caterpillar balloon changed 
color to blue. 

May 4 — Continued coaling at midnight and finished 
at 1.30 A. M.; 178 tons aboard. Macdonough 
stood out. Northern Pacific, Von Steuben, War- 
rington, Nicholson, Wadsworth, Monaghan, Pres- 
ton, Jarvis, Worden stood in. 

May 5 (Sunday) — Roe stood in. Church party 
9:30 A. M. to 12:30 P. M. At 7 P. M. left Brest 
with Isabel, Smith, Lamson and Drayton, convoy- 
ing Leviathan homeward. Reid dropped out at 
Camaret, anchored, and other destroyers contin- 
ued with Leviathan. 

May 6 — At 3 A. M. underway at 2 1 knots outside 
to meet eastbound convoy. At 6 A. M. picked 
up Mercury, Henderson, Siboney, escorted by 
Allen (66), Ammen (35), Wilkes and Terry and 
four aeroplanes and a dirigible. Transports full 
of troops, as usual, and some sailors in old destroy- 
er drafts. Tied up at Brest at 8 P. M. U. S. 
Ss. Keren and Bear, Whipple, Drayton, Smith 
and Lamson stood in. Great Northern stood out. 

[141] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

May 7 — Heard of wireless message submarine com- 
mander sent captain of Gunboat Castine: "You 
are doing great work, but for heaven's sake tighten 
up your loose propeller blade. It makes us ner- 
vous." Out again at 4 P. M. with Isabel and Pres- 
ton convoying British Steamer Czaritza ; 1 2 knots ; 
calm and pleasant. SOS message told of explo- 
sions and torpedoing of ship 8 miles off Holy- 
head, Ireland. Out of our course. Von Steuben 
anchored outside breakwater. Parker, Rowan, 
Winslow, Burrows, Ericsson eind Jenkins (42) 
stood in. 

May 8 — Left convoy at 7 P. M. and steamed north- 
ward to meet new convoy of 34 vessels. Column 
order, — Isabel (flag), Preston, Reid. At 9:40 
P. M. lost contact with Isabel and Preston. 

May 9 — At 6 A. M. made contact with Isabel and 
Preston, and picked up convoy. Request of SOP 
of merchant vessel for smoke screen on joining 
was ignored. Wireless warned of submarine op- 
erating north of Brest, and skipper made note to 
expect it in path May 10 at 7 A. M. Message 
also said most channels to Brest were closed on 
account of submarine operating close to shore and 
warned of mine fields. British staged second na- 
val raid on Ostend. 

May 1 — Rumored we were passing through mine 
field, so most of crew left forecastle and perched 
on deck. Hailed Steamer River Otranto and or- 
dered her to slow down to 9 knots. Assigned 
anchorage to merchant ships. At 3 P. M. tied up 
to Lamson. One ship sent message asking quick 
discharge and return to States. Two French sub- 
marines crossed our bow and Worden stood in. 

May 1 1 — H. Evans, oiler, missed 1500 freincs from 
locker and it was found in a bucket in the engine- 
room. Reid w^ent to coal dock. At 7 P. M. 

[142] 



War Diary— March 19 to July 1, 1918 

Warrington, Drayton, Smith, Lamson, Northern 
Pacific and Henderson stood out. Continued 
coaling at midnight. 

May 12 (Sunday) — Finished coaling at 4 A. M.; 
165 tons. At 2:45 P. M. U. S. S. Lake Erie was 
towed to navy yard by tugs. Harvard, Remlik, 
Vedette and Macdonough stood out. Emeline, 
Jenkins and Sultana in. Jenkins out. 

May 1 3 — Smith, Warrington, Macdonough, Dray- 
ton, Lamson stood in. Ammen and Terry in; 
then out. Virginia towed to alongside Prome- 
theus. At 4 P. M. British Hospital Ship Wan- 
dilla (C-6801) stood into commercial dock. 
David T. Sanders, boatswain*s mate, reported for 
duty from land station at Lorient. Rumored 
Reid would go to Newport, Wales, or Liverpool 
for overhaul. 

May 14 — U. S. S. Satsuma stood into commercial 
dock. Movies on Panther. At 6 P. M. Wandilla 
stood out. 

May 1 5 — At 6 A. M. left Brest with Lamson, Pres- 
ton and five other destroyers convoying H. M. S. 
Czar at 1 2 knots towed Quiberon. At 9 : 1 A. M. 
passing steamer shot gun three times. Circled 
but saw nothing. Passed wreckage of Yacht 
Guinevere and Steamer Florence H. (Lucken- 
back), and were met by aeroplanes. Arrived 
Quiberon at 7 P. M. Saw mysterious flashes in 
sky, two hours, followed by explosions as of big 
guns. Left convoying H. M. S. Czar and City of 
Atlanta ; 1 3 knots. 

May 1 6 — Passed much wreckage, barrels and oil 
slicks, and received message submarine w^as oper- 
ating outside Brest. Left convoy at 1 P. M. 
and steamed in column on Lamson (flag), with 
Preston trailing; proceeding on duty assigned. 

May 1 7 — At 7 A. M. made contact with convoy 

[143] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

and took position well ahead. At 9 A. M. pass- 
ed corpse of man in dark clothes and gray life 
preserver, face downward; 100 feet off starboard 
side. Sighted more wreckage, and received mes- 
sages from two sources warning against subma- 
rine 80 miles west of Brest in our course, w^hich 
had just sunk two steamers. At 1 P. M. part of 
convoy headed toward England. One Lucken- 
back ship in our convoy. 

May 1 8 — At 8 :30 A. M. tied up at Brest. At 1 1 :30 
paymaster paid crew^; then crew^ coaled ship. 
Preston and ten merchant ships stood in. French 
pilot in small boat nearly rammed by Luckenback; 
taken aboard. America, DeKalb and George 
Washington stood in. 

May 19 (Sunday) — Isabel, Jarvis and Wadsworth 
stood out; Wadsworth and Nicholson in. 

May 20 — At 5 A. M. got underway with Flusser 
and Jarvis. for Quiberon Bay. Arrived Quiberon 
at 1 1 A. M. Escorted Finland, Kroonland and 
Ohioan out toward States; 13 knots, smooth sea. 
Near midnight hit fog bank, changed course and 
lost convoy. 

May 2 1 — Back with, convoy at 5 A. M. when fog 
lifted. Then left convoy with Isabel and picked 
up eastbound convoy of twelve vessels, includ- 
ing Nokomis w^ith Yacht Noma in charge. Held 
general quarters on receiving report of periscope; 
nothing but blackfish, of w^hich there w^ere many. 
At 5:15 P. M. fog bank obscured convoy. 

May 22 — At 3 A. M. Yacht Wakiva II was rammed 
in fog by U. S. Steamer Wabash in position 46-2 1 
N. 02-50 W. Sent SOS: "Sinking slowly; unable 
to receive any signals." Lieutenant Davidson, 
Reid's executive officer, weinted to dash to aid, 
about 40 miles away, but skipper said it was im- 
possible. Her survivors picked up by American 

[144] 




RESTING SNUGLY IN DRY DOCK 
On Saturday, May 25, 1918, the Reid was docked at the 
French Navy Yard, Brest. One of the main jobs was to 
scrape the barnacle-covered bottom, by all hands. 

[145] 






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SHE SANK THE YACHT WAKIVA 

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A "GRIM ACTUALITY OF WAR" 

On May 27, 1918, twelve 5-inch "Big Bertha" shells hit 
Paris from St. Gobain Forest, 67 miles to the northeast. 
The above shell landed one block from Montparnasse, 
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A SIGHT FOR SAILORS ON PARIS LEAVE 

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RESULT' OF A GOTHA BOMB EXPLOSION 

When the Germans spread death among Parisians, 
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"THE EYES OF THE CONVOY" AT WORK 
An American dirigible balloon, passing astern of the 
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BIFF! THAT RUINED OUR NOSE! 

On Apr, 16, 1918, the French Tug Hanneton ran us 
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UP, UP, UP— THE BOYS ARE COMING! 

The landing at Brest for soldiers and sailors is about 
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of sailors mounting the stairs. 




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War Diary— March 19 to July 1, 1918 

yacht. Went into LaPallice and brought some 
ships out. Anchored in fog with nine fathoms of 
chain, on order of senior naval officer. Noma 
anchored off our port bow, near Royan. Left 
convoy at 5 A. M. and hit up 22 knots for Brest. 
Held target practice and knocked down target 
at 1500 yards on third shot. Put on 24 knots 
and arrived Brest 5 :30 P. M., time for liberty. 

May 23 — Thirteen U. S. ships with nearly 40,000 
troops stood in, with two gilgadgets. Word was 
passed Reid would take dry dock Saturday at 
Brest for overhaul. Lenape stood in. 

May 24 — Nicholson, Roe, Wadsworth, Monaghan, 
Drayton, Warrington, Smith, Preston, Lamson, 
Cummings, Macdonough stood in. Lenape, Mt. 
Vernon, Agamemnon, Wilhelmina and Cummings 
stood into outer harbor. Ensign Wilson left for 
Paris at 5:30 P. M. with secret mail from States, 
which he got after some difficulty off Mt. Vernon. 

May 25 — Lieut-Comdr. Chas C. Slayton this date 
ordered to command Wadsworth and relinquish 
command of Reid, and Reid lost command of 
First Division as senior ship. Monaghan stood 
out; Worden in. Smith to dry dock. 

May 26 (Sunday) — Captain Slayton left ship and 
was cheered by crew. Reid towed from Panther 
to dry dock. Panther workmen busy on dam- 
aged bow. Crew taking down rigging. 

May 2 7 — At 6 A. M. "Big Bertha" started shelling 
Paris, announcing resumption of big German 
land offensive in the west, with Paris as objective. 

May 29 — "Big Bertha" dropped six shells into Paris. 
Soissons captured by the Germans; Rheims held. 

May 31 — President Lincoln torpedoed and sunk 
about 500 miles west of Brest by lurking subma- 
rine after destroyers had left her. Germans again 
reached the Mame River. 

[161] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

June 1 — Commanding Officer left ship to act as 
Judge Advocate in inquiry into loss of American 
Steamship John G. McCullough. Marie-Georgie 
(French bark) in dry dock with Reid, equipped 
with hidden torpedo tube aft and two small dis- 
appearing guns forward. German attacks toward 
Paris held. 

June 2 (Sunday) — Survivors of President Lincoln 
disaster put into Brest, ambulances from Base 
Hospital No. 5 taking care of the wounded. 

June 3 — Crew scraped barnacles off ship's bottom, 
assisted by working party fronri Receiving Ship 
Carola IV. 

June 5 — La Depeche, Brest newspaper, reported 
German submarine off American coast and large 
cities darkened at night. 

June 6 — Panther workmen finished fixing plates on 
Reid's damaged bow. 

June 7 — Flooded dry dock. Move made to restore 
monarchy in Russia. 

June 8 — Left dry dock and went alongside French 
destroyer in Navy Yard. Walter M. A. Wynne, 
Lieut., U. S. N., and Irving R. Gale, Ens. (T) 
(RF), reported aboard for duty. Walter Sher- 
man Davidson, Lt. Comdr., U. S. N., this date 
assumed command of the Reid. 

June 9 (Sunday) — Third German assault launched 
on 22 mile front between Montdidier and River 
Oise. 

June 1 — French Sloop Loup Cervier came along- 
side. Received 2 1 -foot motor dory to replace 
motor dory lost overboard in storm near Cardiff, 
October 16, 1917. 

June 1 1 — Towed out of French Navy Yard to along- 
side Flusser and Lamson. Preston at coal dock. 
At 6:25 P. M. Von Steuben, Nansemond, Smith 

[162] 



War Diary — March 19 to July 1, 1918 

and Jarvis stood out; Wadsworth, Fanning, Nich- 
olson and Wainwright in. 

June 1 2 — Reported drifting coal barge to Panther. 
Burrows went alongside Wainwright. Isabel left 
coal dock. David Reyes, w^ardroom steward, 
transferred to Wadsworth. At 6 :45 Tucker, 
Winslow, Benham, Burrows, Sigourney stood out. 

June 13 — Report said 8,000-ton ship lost in Bris- 
tol Channel, escorted by Wilkes, and 300 surviv- 
ors picked up. Smith and Preston moored along- 
side Reid. Frank W. Kluge and E. George Zie- 
mann made "bolo." Yacht Christabel towed to 
navy yard by tugs; Yacht Harvard stood out. 

June 14 — At 6:20 A. M. Smith towed to coal dock 
by Tug Concord. At 8:30 A. M. drew small 
stores off Panther. Cushing, Roe, Little, O'Brien, 
Word en and Burrows stood out. Fanning and 
Allen stood in. 

June 1 5 — Isabel, Fanning, Nicholson, Lamson, Flus- 
ser, Wainwright, Trippe, Allen, Wilkes, Davis and 
Sampson stood out; Warrington, Rambler, Trux- 
tun and Corona in. Austrian offensive against 
Italy launched. 

June 16 (Sunday) — Preston, Smith, Ericsson, 
Wadsworth, Drayton,. Jarvi^, Warrington and 
Conner stood out. Church party and liberty. 

June 1 7 — Truxtun stood out; Stewart, Harvard, 
Vedette, Nicholson, Wainwright, Fanning, Isa- 
bel, Lamson and Flusser in. 

June 1 8 — Eastbound convoy stood in : Little, Sig- 
ourney, Tucker, Stewart, Benham, Cummings, 
Wainwright, Roe, Word en, Cushing, O'Brien, 
Burrows, Aeolus, Martha Washington, Powhatan 
and Czaritza. 

June 1 9 — Eastbound convoy stood in : Mt. Vernon, 
Agamemnon, America, Arizonan, Ozava (Ori- 
zaba), Macdonough, Warrington, Smith, Erics- 

[163] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

son, Connor, Preston, Whipple and Jarvis. Aeo- 
lus stood outside breakwater. Truxtun, Lam- 
son, Nicholson and Porter out. Christabel tug- 
ged from navy yard to alongside Prometheus. 

June 20 — Macdonough out, Winslow in. Crew re- 
ceived two boxes of story books for ship's library. 

June 2 1 — Isabel and 24 submarine chasers stood in. 
Wainwright out, then in. Sultana in. Aeolus and 
Ozava (Orizaba), Stewart, Vedette, Harvard, 
Emeline, Remlik out. 

June 22 — Leviathan stood in w^ith troop load. Roe, 
Cummings, Wadsw^orth, Cushing, Fanning, Porter, 
Nicholson, Carolinian and Trinidadian in. Wor- 
den out. Timothy Brow^n, boatswain* s mate, 
passed examination as ensign, moved to ward- 
room from forecastle and ordered new uniform. 

June 23 (Sunday) — Aeolus, America, Mt. Vernon, 
Agamemnon, Zimia stood out w^ith Roe, Tucker, 
Burrows, O'Brien, Jarvis, Winslow, Drayton, Sig- 
ourney and Conner. Warrington, Isabel and 
Wainw^right also out. Army Tugs DHB- 1 3 and 
DHB-14 and Whipple and Macdonough stood in. 

June 24 — French and British convoy, including 
Czaritza, stood in, w^ith Burrow^s. Rambler in; 
Leviathan, Fanning and Caldwell stood out. 
Lieutenant Smith went to Paris on 5 -day leave. 

June 25 — Isabel, Monaghan and Wainwright stood 
in; Lamson and Truxtun out. 

June 26 — Tug Hubbard and Macdonough out; Isabel 
in. At 6 P. M. Great Northern, Northern Pacific, 
Winslow^, Sigourney, Drayton and McDougal 
stood in. 

June 27 — Out: Macdonough, Monaghan, Sigourney, 
Winslow, Great Northern, Northern Pacific. In: 
Monaghan, Dante Alighieri, Flusser, Preston, 
Smith, Little, Roe, Conner, Jarvis, Stevens, Mac- 
donough, Czar, Covington, George Washington, 

[164] 



War Diary— March 19 to July 1, 1918 

Wilhelmina, Lenape, DeKalb, Rijndam, Burrows, 
Tucker, Wadsworth, O'Brien, Gushing, Benham, 
Cummings and Porter. 

June 28 — At 6 A. M. called all hands; at 7 A. M. 
coaling ship for first trip since overhaul. 

June 29 — Pometheus shifted by tugs to upper chan- 
nel to make room in heavy troop movem.ent; 
300,000 Doughboys in month landed now. 
O'Brien and Lamson in. Stewart out. Lieuten- 
ant Smith returned from Paris. 

June 30 (Sunday) — Finished swinging ship outside 
breakwater at noon. No bottom at 1 7 fathoms 
(?). (Quartermaster evidently intoxicated). 



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[165] 



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[166] 



A 



Chapter VI. 

SINKING OF THE COVINGTON. 

T 1 1 o'clock on the morning of Monday, July 
1, 1918, the Destroyers Little (flagship), 
Reid, Conner, Porter, Cummings, Jarvis and 
Smith left Brest convoying the Transports 
DeKalb (flagship of convoy), the Covington, the 
George Washington, the Dante Alighieri, the Le- 
nape, the Rijndam, the Wilhelmina and the Princess 
Matoika westward toward the United States, these 
vessels having just landed a fresh contingent of 
American troops for the Western Front and having 
lifted anchor to bring more across. The speed was 
not quite fifteen knots, the weather fair and the sea 
calm. The DeKalb was in the center leading the five 
columns and the Covington to port of her and 
abreast as No. 2 from left. The Smith's position was 
port flank and quarter of convoy, the Porter's flank 
and bow, 1 ,000 yards ahead; the Conner's port bow, 
the Little's 1500 yards ahead, the Cummings' 1,000 
yards ahead on starboard bow, the Jarvis' 600-1000 
yards off the starboard flank, and finally the Reid's 
600-1000 yards off starboard flank and quarter. 
The DeKalb carried the Reid's book, which it was 
hoped could be published during the war. 

At 5:20 P. M. ships received an "alio" (subma- 
rine warning) from the Flag Office at Brest, as fol- 
lows: 

"Enemy submarine active Lat. 47-50 N., Long. 
07-50 W. Convoy change course; acknowledge/* 

The Little wired Brest: "Verified position subma- 
rine." This was at 7 :30 P. M. 

At 9 : 1 P. M. heard depth charges fired on oppo- 
site side of convoy from Reid, in neighborhood of 
Smith and Porter ; also saw flashes from guns. Went 

[167] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 



to general quarters. Received at 9 : 1 5 P. M. radio 
message saying "Covington torpedoed. Position 
47-24 N., 07-44 W." Little issued instructions to 
steer West until Long. 08-00 W. was reached. Reid 
proceeded with convoy. 

The Little repeated the Covington message to 
Brest. At 9:43 P. M. the Covington commander 
wirelessed the Little: "Covington apparently not 
sinking. Possibly can be towed to Brest." At 
10:40 the Little wired base: "Covington floating 
well. Will leave Smith and Reid with her at 1 1 
tonight. Little will proceed to join convoy." And 
at 10:40 the Little answered the O'Brien: "Yes, 
come and stand by." Then about 1 A. M. on July 
2, the Little wired the Reid, "Join Covington; ex- 
pedite." 

The following messages were exchanged : 

Little to Smith: "Keep Brest informed on situation." 

Smith to Shaw and Brest: "Survivors aboard. Stand- 
ing by Covington. When Reid joins, commanding of- 
ficer recommends Smith proceed Brest with survivors, 
Reid remain Covington. Commanding officer standing 
by." 

From Brest: "Concord ordered to assistance Cov- 
ington." 

Smith to Reid at 4:30 a. m. "Commanding officer 
Covington aboard." Ships intercepted wireless mes- 
sage saying a French sloop had been torpedoed. 

Tug Revenger to Brest: "Covington in tow three 
tugs. Believed none lost. Captain on board Re- 
venger." 

British warship message (intercepted) said: Con- 
voy five hours late. Request extra escort in view sub- 
marine activity. Give location 47-50 N., 06-52 W., at 
0302 today Tuesday a wide berth." 

Sixty miles away, the Reid put on all speed and 
joined the Covington at daybreak. Everybody 
was up on deck to see the sight of the helpless ves- 

[168] 



Sinking of the Covington 



sel as she stood in fairly smooth water leaning over 
sharply to port, her great gray hulk silhouetted 
sharply against the rapidly brightening horizon. 
With a distinct feeling of sadness and of irrepressible 
curiosity the men shifted positions about the deck to 
better their views. The silence was broken for 
those occupying points of vantage on the bridge and 
the searchlight platform when Lieutenant Smith, 
garbed in his trusty buck-skin trousers and saffron 
shirt, bawled out: "Now you men stay on the other 
side of the ship; this is no sight-seeing party." After 
a few minutes the "sight-seers" became curious 
again, and as we dropped depth charges to scare off 
any possible submarines we could still hear Mr. 
Smith shouting, "All right, now, trim ship. Every- 
body keep their eyes open for a submarine!" 

The Smith's deck was thick as blackbirds with 
Covington survivors and she pulled out presently 
for Brest at 20 knots. Due to the unusually heavy 
load her draft had been increased about three feet. 
The British Tugs Woonda and Revenger steamed up ; 
at 7 A. M. the Wadsworth joined, at 7 : 30 the Shaw 
and at 8:50 the Nicholson. Ihe Reid had sent a 
working party of seven men aboard the Covington 
under Ensign John A. Wilson, USNRF., of 
Chicago, to handle lines, and these men remained 
aboard. This proved Ensign Wilson's war opportu- 
nity, and he made the most of it. Although he had 
never been able to obtain advancement under Capt. 
Slay ton's administration as commanding officer of 
the Reid, on this stirring occasion he had the satis- 
faction of signalling Captain Slay ton (who left the 
Reid to command the Wadsworth) that he was "pro 
tempore captain" of the sinking Covington. 

Our men had raised a large new flag aft on the 
Covington, and to the destroyer men and the men 
on the tugs it spoke out a message harking back to 

[169] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

the time when Washington fought to raise it, and 
Jefferson fought to preserve it, and Roosevelt fought 
again to see it triumph as the symbol of practical pa- 
triotism, of honesty in speech and fair dealing among 
mankind. At first it floated a few feet above the 
water, then as the Covington began to settle, its tips 
flapped in the brine, and after a while it disappeared 
from sight. 

At 2:32 P. M. Greenwich Mean Time, the Cov- 
ington sank astern, her bow mounting majestically 
in the air as if to split a bank of low-lying cumulus 
clouds. Her last remaining bulkheads gave w^ay un- 
der the terrific pressure and small boats and a mass 
of debris hurtled from forward toward aft along the 
slanting deck; her bridge was smashed into an egg- 
shell with a sickening noise of creaking, twisting, 
groaning timbers; her great stacks collapsed like 
celluloid; her huge lines made fast to the tugs snap- 
ped sharply back to the ship in spirals as the axes 
■were laid on; and a cloud of brown dust arose 
above the wreck just before she disappeared. When 
the water closed about her there was left on the sur- 
face a great confusion of small things that go to make 
up a ship's deck equipment. A French sloop tow- 
ing four of the Covington life boats put off a punt 
with a sailor who w^ent pecking through the wreck- 
age to see what he could see. The Frenchman 
perched himself for a moment on a raft; the destroy- 
ers got their orders and steamed for their European 
home. 

The final plunge of the Covington was w^onderful 
as the crumbling of a mountain might be; it was ter- 
rible and sad as the passing of a life-long friend. It 
was a sight to see once, but never again. 

Ensign Wilson made the following report : 

Shoved off from U. S. S. Reid in whaleboat at 4:20 A. 
M., July 2, with detail of G. C. McCabe, CBM., David 

[170] 



Sinking of the Covington 



T. Sanders. BM-Ic, J. A. Lynch. MM-2c, W. F. Ander- 
son, GM-2cj David Udolfsky. SeaGnr., J. G. Michalo, 
Sea, and J. A. Robbins. Sea. Boarded the Covington 
via the sea ladder on port bow just abaft the bridge. 

The Covington had a port list of about twelve de- 
grees. Proceeded at once forw^ard and hailed the Brit- 
ish Tugs "Woonda" and "Zulu," which were standing 
by, distant about I 00 yards on the bow^. The sea was 
calm and the w^eather clear. Found one seaman aboard, 
w^ho said he had been aboard all night. He was evi- 
dently slightly dazed. Immediately made arrangements 
to get on board two w^ire haw^sers from the '*Zulu** 
and "Woonda." After about one hour's work, succeed- 
ed in securing both to forw^ard bitts. The "Woonda" 
to port and "Zulu" to starboard. 

While engaged in securing hawsers, the U. S. S. 
Concord came within hail and I at once hailed her and 
directed her to pass us an additional hawser. The 
Captain of the Concord rendered us great assistance 
by his skillful handling of the Concord. The hawser 
which w^as secured to the Concord w^as a I 2-inch manila 
and w^as secured aboard the Covington to the starboard 
bitts. While the w^ork of securing the hawsers was be- 
ing done, I noticed that no colors were flying, nor 
commission pennant. At once gave orders to have nev/ 
ensign hoisted. Could not find a commission pen- 
nant. 

At 5:55 A. M. tugs were under way and headed 
on course 72 degrees by steering compass. While the 
lines were being passed to the tugs, a boat w^ith some of 
the Covington's crew, under a lieutenant, came along- 
side and some of them came aboard. They took stores 
from the canteen and the paymaster secured his ac- 
counts, etc. The lieutenant talked a couple of minutes 
with me but I was busy keeping track of the ship. 
Detailed two of my men to help them get their gear to 
the boat. The paymaster got into the boat without 
his valise, containing his money, but Boatswain's Mate 
Sanders, of the Reid, carried it aft and gave it to him. 
The boat then shoved off and proceeded to the 
"Woonda." 

Then being under way and the Reid circling around 
the Covington, I ordered Machinist's Mate Lynch to in- 
spect the engine room, etc. Ordered Chief Boat- 
swain's Mate McCabe to take all his men and secure 



[171] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

all ports, etc., on port side, which was done, with all 
found open. The Covington then had a list to port of 
1 8 degrees by the chartroom clinometer. I inspected 
the battery and found all the 6-inch guns loaded and 
primed. Had the primers removed and the pow^der 
bags replaced in the containers. The forecastle and 
poop were both littered with pow^der containers. 

Ordered breakfast for all hands at 7 A. M. from can- 
teen stores, w^hich the late paymaster of Covington had 
said were available for our use. Upon inspecting found 
a seaman on a raft under the port quarter. Ordered 
him hauled on board. His name was Bryant and he 
stated that he did not know ship had been abandoned, 
and when he discovered no one aft, and saw the de- 
stroyers circling around, he jumped overboard on the 
raft. Further search for possible survivors revealed 
Sprague, seaman, in one of the after crew^'s spaces. 
He did not know that ship had been abandoned, and 
claimed to have suffered an injury to his back. Had 
him placed in one of the bunks abaft the chart room. 

Examination of the engine room showed water cover- 
ing the tops of the cylinders of starboard engines. 
Sounded and found 27 feet of w^ater in engine room. 
Ordered Machinist's Mate Lynch to inspect the same 
and take soundings every half hour. Read the clinome- 
ter every half hour. The w^ireless was still buzzing and 
1 had it disconnected. The fire rooms were under 
water. The standing lights in the main deck pasasge 
way w^ere still burning, and continued until 12:45, 
w^hen I made my last inspection of them. They evi- 
dently got their pow^er from the storage batteries 
located abaft the after funnel on the boat deck. All 
the boats on the boat deck abaft No. 2 funnel w^ere 
wrecked by the force of the explosion and the port 
davits just above the spot v/here the torpedo struck 
w^ere torn from their sockets and lay athw^art the deck. 
The speed boat was secured on the starboard side of the 
well (main deck) and w^as uninjured. There was very 
little water in any compartment forward of the engine 
room, and No. 1 and No. 2 holds were completely 
free and remained so until w^e abandoned ship. Water 
was found below the berth deck abaft the engine 
rooms, and gained gradually, probably coming 
through the shaft tunnels, which were no doubt started 
by the explosion. It appeared the torpedo hit about 

[172] 



Sinking of the Covington 



the position of the bulk-head between the engine room 
and the compartment abaft it, and then flooded both 
compartments immediately. 

At 8:45 A. M. a light breeze from north-northeast 
sprang up. Nicholson hove in sight and joined the 
Reid and the Wadsworth. A French sloop was dis- 
tant about three miles on starboard quarter with four 
of the Covington's boats in tow^. Examined the engine 
room at 9 A. M. and found little change in conditions. 
Roll increased to 18 degrees to 20 degrees to port. 
At 10:25 list increased to 23 degrees. At 10:30 re- 
ceived signal from Reid "What do you think of her?" 
Signal made in reply: "She is gradually settling astern 
and to port." At 10:45 main deck abaft garbage chute 
on port side was even w^ith the water. 

At once gave orders to have lashing removed from 
speed launch and all the boats on deck so they might 
clear the deck w^hen she sank, since after this time it 
w^as evident from increasing list that she could not be 
towed into port. At 1 1 o'clock clinometer showed 25- 
degree list to port. At 1 2 o'clock clinometer showed 
3 I -degree list to port. Had all hands to mess and after- 
w^ard made rounds of ship. Found water increasing in 
engine room to 30 feet and after holds filling up. (No. 
2 holds were still free from w^ater) . Had all hands 
mustered at starboard rail on boat deck just abaft the 
bridge. At 12:45 again made examination of ship and 
found w^ater gaining and list increasing to 36 degrees. 
At 1 o'clock received signal from Reid: "Abandon 
ship immediately on life rafts and w^e w^ill pick you up." 
Reid had maintained a position from 400-800 yards 
abaft the Covington's starboard beam. 

At 1:10 Boatswain's Mate Sanders, stationed forw^ard 
to stand by hawsers, reported loud banging coming 
from below^ decks forw^ard. At once had all hands 
proceed along starboard rail and on account of list of 
40 degrees rigged life lines from starboard rail to for- 
w^ard hatches and companion w^ays. Then Seaman 
Gunner Udolfsky and Chief Boatsw^ain's Mate McCabe 
and Boatswain's Mate Sanders and myself went below 
to investigate. Udolfsky and Sanders went down to 
keelson and shouted, but received no reply. Cut aw^ay 
the hatch cover of No. I hatch and raised the hatch. 
Then McCabe, Sanders and Udolfsky went below^ and 
investigated and shouted as before, but obtained no re- 



[ 1 73 ] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

plies. I ordered them on deck, as I feared they might 
get caught below if the ship took a sudden list. 

Then all hands stationed themselves along starboard 
rail life lines by two life rafts which w^ere floating in wa- 
ter held by painter, and waited for the approach of the 
boat. Then the Nicholson edged in close on starboard 
bow, lowered a boat and signalled "We w^ill pick you 
up." Meantime, a boat manned by the Covington's 
crew^ put off from the Tug "Woonda" and pulled 
down toward the Covington on the port side. Shouted 
to her to keep away, as the life rafts and boats sliding 
down to port and coming aw^ay made it very dangerous 
to leave via port side. The list was increasing and she 
was gradually settling by the stern. In my judgment 
she w^as good for an hour yet. Observing that the 
Nicholson's boat would reach about forward of second 
funnels, as we still had way on, ordered all hands to 
pass along the starboard rail and leave via the life lines 
hanging over the side. This w^as done with some diffi- 
culty owing to the list, and at I :30 P. M., having seen 
all hands safely down in the Nicholson's boat, I w^ent 
over the side into the boat, w^hich then shoved off and 
pulled to the Nicholson. I estimate that this took 
place about 1 :30. 

I reported to the Commanding Officer of the Nichol- 
son and he directed me to reniain aboard in accordance 
with signal from Reid. At 2:32 the Covington sank by 
the stern with colors flying. Upon arrival at Brest that 
night, I reported myself and men to the Officer of the 
Deck of the Panther. 

The conduct of my men from the Reid was excellent, 
and they had the "punch" at all times. I especially 
desire to call your attention to the splendid spirit and 
zeal of Seaman Gunner Udolfsky, Boatsw^ain's Mate 
Sanders and Chief Boatswain's Mate McCabe in going 
down No. 1 hatch and searching that section of the ship 
just before abandoning ship, although the Covington 
w^as then getting lively. 

Captain R. D. Hasbrouck made the following re- 
port on the sinking of the Covington, as outlined in 
the New York World of Jan. 22, 191 9. The state- 
ment that "a salvage party from the Smith boarded 
the Covington" is taken as a reference to the Reid's 
paity: 

[174] 



Sinking of the Covington 



At night on July I, the lookout on the Covington, 
which had sailed from Brest with several other trans- 
ports escorted by destroyers, saw a streak of white 300 
yards from the port quarter. The torpedo struck 
with terrific detonation, throwing a column of water 
above the stacks. In an incredibly short time the 
crew^ w^ere at their stations awaiting orders from the 
bridge. 

Engine and fire rooms filled quickly. In fifteen 
minutes the ship lay dead in the water and listed to 
port. "Abandon ship" was bugled. The behavior of 
officers and men was wonderful. 

Twenty-one of the twenty-seven lifeboats w^ere low- 
ered w^ithput lights to guide, w^ith the ship listing badly 
and without the aid of a single winch, for steam had 
failed. It was a stirring sight to see the men go down 
the ladders as though in drill. The Destroyer Smith 
took the men aboard. 

A working party of thirty officers and men remain- 
ed on the Covington, collecting records, charts, sex- 
tants, etc. At 4 a. m. a salvage party from the Smith 
boarded the Covington. The Smith headed for Brest 
full speed at 5:20 a. m. Tw^o British tugs and an 
American tug came up. By 6 o'clock the tugs had the 
Covington in tow, making five knots. Tw^o more de- 
stroyers, in addition to the Reid, w^hich had been 
standing by, joined shortly after. 

At 2:10 the salvage party was taken off; at 2:30 the 
Covington began to sink rapidly by the stern. 

Considering the performance of Boatswain's Mate 
David T. Sanders and three other members of the 
Reid's working party, it was altogether a big day for 
the civilian sailors in a crisis w^hich called for initia- 
tive and bravery. In fact, the chief punk perfor- 
mances of the day, according to the views of old 
time sailors, were perpetrated by regular navy men 
who had been sailing quite a while ; one of these was 
Captain Hasbrouck's failure to stay on the Coving- 
ton as long as possible; another was pulled by Cap- 
tain Davidson, w^ho allowed the Nicholson's small 
boat to take the Reid's working party off the Cov- 

[175] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

ington and haul it to Brest when we could have done 
it ourselves. Captain Davidson was a brave man, 
not afraid to laugh in the face of the devil, run head- 
on into a lighthouse or steam jauntily through a mine 
field; we had been expecting great things from him 
far beyond his fondness for explaining the uses of 
annunciators, sextants and peloruses, but on this oc- 
casion he evidently fell a victim to "seniority," which 
was out of proportion to our heavy part aboard the 
sinking ship. The Reid did not deserve a station 
patrolling astern that day, and when the Covington 
sank she should have been close up with the other 
destroyers, what's more. It is understood that 
the Covington courtmartial brought out the state- 
ment that 1 GO men could have saved the ship, w^hich, 
by the way, was a $2,000,000 prize. With 700 
Covington survivors and 500 destroyer men present 
to draw from, it should have been easy to have ob- 
tained that number. Chief Yeoman Underwood, 
of the Smith, came back to port w^ith the story that 
he w^itnessed an effort of a lieutenant of the torpe- 
doed ship to get Covington crew^ volunteers to man 
a small boat and return aboard, but the bunch ap- 
pealed to, he declared, sought "safety first" by 
crowding from one side of the Smith to the other; 
whereupon Chief Yeoman Underwood stepped forth 
and cursed the crowd like an old navy man only 
know^s how^ to curse. It must be said for the willing 
members of the Covington crew, however, that on 
two or three occasions a boat's crew of volunteers 
w^as obtained and made several trips back to the 
ship. Members of the Reid's working party on re- 
turning to Brest were vehement in their denunciation 
of certain features connected w^ith the affair; all of 
which, gentle reader, you will not be apt to read in 
the official reports. 

In this connection it is appropriate to mention that 

[176] 





THE COVINGTON IN SINKING CONDITION 
About 9 p. m., July 1, 1918, the Transport Covington 
(formerly the Cincinnati of the Hamburg- American 
Line) was torpedoed, and sank at 2:32 p. m., July 2. 

' [177] 



-i W'M-i^tX. 





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COVINGTON BOAT CREW ACCEPTS A TOW 
The whaleboat contained an officer and men who had 
boarded the ship to get provisions and money. It was 
helped into position so the foragers could return to the 
tug Woonda. 




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COVINGTON "CAPTAIN" FOR 8 HOURS 
Ensign John A. ("Jaw") Wilson, a civilian officer, who 
took working party of 7 men on sinking liner and was 
cited for excellent seamanship. 





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"NAVIGATING OFFICER" OF THE COVINGTON 
George C. McCabe ("Mc"), chief boatswain's mate, 
who led search below when our men thought they heard 
imprisoned sailors yelling for help. 





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HE HELPED 

David T. Sanders, 
mate whose somewhat autocratic efforts to make the 
world safe for democracy won him a commission. 



"RUN 'EM RAGGED" 

a, rough-and-tumble boatswain's 





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A REBEL WITH A POSSUM SMILE 
Wm. F. Anderson, gunner's mate, took a leading part 
in the attack on "Pen-March Pete" and the attempt to 
save the Covington, receiving honorable mention. 




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DISCOVERED WATER DEEP IN ENGINE ROOM 
J. A. Lynch, machinist's mate, was directed to take 
soundings in the Covington's engine room, and he found 
27 feet of water, with heaps pouring in. 




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NOT A PRUSSIAN PRINCE! 
It is only "Daredevil Dave" (Capt. W. S. Davidson of 
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Sinking of the Covington 



the fight made by the Concord, the Revenger and 
the Woonda to save the Covington was admirable, 
and worthy of the best traditions of the navy. The 
tugs did not lay axes on the lines at the bitts until 
there was grave danger that they would be pulled 
down with the sinking vessel, and in truth, the Cov- 
ington's bow wa^ high in the air and was actually 
yanking the Concord astern when the man with the 
axe did his duty. In the opinion of the observers 
present, the tug men deserved citations equally with 
the most steadfast, no matter whether they happened 
to be of the old navy or of the new. 




[193] 



Chapter VII. 
JULY 4 TO SEPT. 1, 1918. 



A 



MONG the features of Chapter VII is an at- 
tack made by the Destroyer Benham on a 
submarine seven miles ahead of a convoy. 
Benham saw three feet of periscope and laid 



a barrage of 1 8 depth charges. Several hours later 
a lookout on the Reid reported that he had seen a 
periscope, and still later the Reid dropped eleven 
depth charges on an oil slick. The ships in the con- 
voy escaped. The Tippecanoe sinking is also cov- 
ered. 



Fourth of July — Steaming west at 1 5 knots, looking 
for eastbound convoy. At 4:04 P. M. sighted 
Jarvis. At 6:40 P. M. took position on starboard 
quarter of Pocahontas, Manhattan, Susquehanna, 
Re D'ltalia, Due D'Aosta (Italian), and French 
Transports Patria and Nopatin, filled with troops. 
At 8 P. M. lookout reported submarine, and 
"alio" was received. At 8:30 P. M. Benham re- 
ported seeing three feet of periscope seven miles 
ahead of convoy and dropping 1 8 depth charges. 
At 10:25 P. M., Lat. 46-22 N., Long. 6-54 W.. 
w^hile patrolling on starboard quarter of convoy, 
Reid sighted suspicious wake running towards 
convoy. Went to general quarters and at 1 8 
knots crossed wake to get between it and convoy. 
Followed wake to what appeared as its head 
where w^as large patch of smooth, unrippled wa- 
ter. Captain Davidson laid depth barrage of 8 
mines, turning with 1 degrees right rudder, cir- 
cling around and across w^ake. Came back to 
direction of w^ake tow^ards convoy and proceeded 
about 1,000 yards ahead in direction of wake and 
laid line of three more depth charges. Searched 

[194] 



War Diary— July 4 to Sept. 1, 1918 

vicinity, but found nothing. Result doubtful. 
All depth charges functioned well. Rejoined 
convoy at midnight. Little SOP. 

July 5 — At noon put into Brest with convoy as 
above and with Little (senior), Shaw, Wads- 
worth, Porter, Conner, Jarvis, Benham, Isabel, 
Cummings and others. Doughboys cheered as 
destroyers passed. Macdonough stood out. 
Covington films and pictures seized by Flag office. 

July 6 — Commanding Officer went to Little for in- 
quiry into misunderstood signal to Reid to stand 
by Covington. Lieutenant Wynne detached to 
Burrows, and Lieutenant Andrew Leo Haas, 
USN., reported aboard Reid as executive officer. 
Wadsworth and Gregory out; then Gregory in. 
Coal lighter at dock saved from capsizing by 
French tug. Crew coaling at 6:30 P. M. Cruis- 
er Birmingham in. 

July 7 (Sunday)— At 1 :20 P. M. finished coaling 
ship; 261 tons. Stewart, Harvard, Rambler and 
Vedette stood out; Wanderer, Sultana and Cor- 
ona in. 

July 8 — At 4:15 A. M. Birmingham stood out; also 
Lamson, Fanning, Wainwright, Drayton, O'Brien, 
Burrows, Porter, Pocahontas and Monaghan, All 
hands cleaned and painted ship. At 4 :45 P. M. 
out: Reid, Warrington, Sigourney (flag), Nichol- 
son, Benham, Tucker, Jarvis and Cummings, con- 
voying at 1 3 knots Pocahontas (flag), Gold Shell, 
Susquehanna, Czaritza, Re D* Italia and Due 
D'Aosta. 

July 9 — ^Wind 3-5 ; Reid astern of homeward-bound 
convoy. At 10:13 A. M. exchanged positions 
with Cummings, taking port beam. At 10:14 A. 
M. Sigourney, Tucker, Cummings and Benham 
circled on starboard quarter of convoy, dropping 
depth charges. At 4:30 P. M. ships went left to 

[195] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

avoid small sailing vessels; then resumed beise 
course. 

July 10 — ^At 10 A. M. sighted large hospital ship 
on starboard bow steering southerly course. At 
5 P. M. passed American steamer steering to 
eastward. At 9 :20 P. M. left convoy and formed 
column on Sigourney; 16 knots; wind 3-6. 

July 1 1 — At 5:30 A. M. joined eastbound convoy 
at rendezvous: President Grant, Calamares, 
Magnolia (Mongolia?) and others. 

July 12 — As before. At 1 1 :55 A. M. ship on left 
hoisted break-down flag and dropped astern. At 
6:30 P. M. sighted scout crusier headed north. At 
6:15 P. M. passed convoy headed west. At 
10:35 P. M. entered Brest Harbor with convoy 
and destroyers and went alongside Lamson. 

July 1 3 — Isabel, Jarvis and Monaghan stood in. 

July 14 (Sunday) — At 7:30 A. M. French Steamer 
Patria left anchorage. At 8 A. M. full dressed 
ship, with ensign at mainmast, celebrating birth of 
.the French Republic. At 1 1 A. M. Smith tugged 
to British Collier Warflsh. Three firemen dis- 
rated for talking to German prisoners on coal 
dock; reported by French sentry. Reid, Lam- 
son and Preston, tugged to Warfish. 

July 15 — Continued coaling ship; at 4:45 P. M. 
knocked off coaling; 185 tons. Out at 5 P. M. : 
Siboney and two French steamers, Benham, Tuck- 
er, Jarvis, Monaghan, Drayton, Wanderer and 
Corona. Leviathan stood in. Warrington in. 

July 1 6 — Underway at 6 P. M. convoying George 
Washington (?) and H. M. Ss. Czar and Roepat, 
Vauban, Ohioan and Mercury, in company with 
Nicholson (flag), Flusser, Smith and Lamson; 15 
knots. At 8:20 P. M. put Czar in proper posi- 
tion. Nicholas RomanofiF, quondam Czar of 
Russia, shot to death with JFamily at Elkaterinburg. 

[196] 



War Diary — July 4 to Sept. 1, 1918 



July 1 7 — Blowing up rougher. At 6 A. M. Lamson 
joined convoy of 36 vessels, including destroyers; 
9 knots. At 6:05 A. M. Nicholson hoisted sub- 
marine warning flag and opened fire with 4-inch 
guns on her starboard bow. Reid went to gen- 
eral quarters and put on 21 knots; gave right 
rudder and dropped depth charges at intervals 
of 1 seconds. At 6 : 1 A. M. observed torpedo 
JDroaching on surface (or submarine) approach- 
ing spot on which Nicholson's gunfire was center- 
ed. Gave hard right rudder to avoid object and 
circled spot, dropping 18 depth charges; last 
charge set off sympathetic explosion that was 
thought to have come from spent torpedo of sub- 
marine. At 9:15 P. M. Reid, Nicholson, Lam- 
son and Flusser left convoy. 
July 18 — At 4:10 A. M. sighted British destroyers. 
At 5 :45 A. M. joined eastbound convoy and took 
position on starboard beam; 1 1 knots. At 
10:30 A. M. heard two shots fired on left of con- 
voy; nothing definite seen. Gen. Foch launched 
big Allied counter attack. 
July 1 9 — At 11 A. M. convoy and destroyers tied 
up at Brest, Reid alongside Smith and Panther. 
Jarvis, Warrington, Monaghan, Wanderer and 
Emeline stood out. 
July 20— At 1 :30 A. M. quartermaster reported 
Srnith's motor dory adrift. An officer from that 
ship came aboard and arranged to have motor 
dory towed aft and secured. Gushing, Lamson, 
Burrows out; Vedette in. Germans re-crossed 
the Mame, headed toward Berlin. 
July 2 1 (Sunday) — At 6 :45 A. M. Reid was towed 
by Goncord to British Gollier Milly to coal. At 
9:30 New York convoy stood in with Nicholson, 
Benham, Lamson and Flusser. At 12:30 P. M. 
had taken aboard 1 7 tons of coal. America in 

[197] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

harbor with bow damaged, and report said she 
had sunk an oil tanker, with a loss of 34 men. 
Seghers-Sanders fight at vegetable locker stopped 
by commanding officer. French and Americans 
retook Chateau-Thierry. 

July 22 — Flusser stood in, "buckled up," trying to 
step out too fast ahead of the Mt. Vernon. Ru- 
mor said Burrows lost a chief gunner's mate and 
Warrington a man overboard in storm just en- 
countered. Benham w^as towed in by tugs in 
sinking condition, having been rammed on star- 
board side by Jarvis in fog. Allied drive con- 
tinued between Chateau-Thierry and Soissons; 
20,000 prisoners. 

July 23 — At 1 1 :45 A. M. Jarvis was towed in, her 
bow badly smashed in collision with Benham in 
fog. Lamson and Flusser w^ent to Milly to coal. 
At 6 P. M. left Brest with Fanning, Burrows, Cum- 
mings and Nicholson, convoying President Grant; 
12-14 knots. 

July 24 — Cummings had condenser trouble and 
went to England for repairs. At 6:25 A. M. 
sighted fleet of 1 4 sailing vessels and a mine 
sweeper steering north. At 1 1 :25 A. M. Fan- 
ning investigated British destroyer on port flank. 
Reid using three boilers. Pretty night with moon- 
light, and calm. 

July 25 — At 1 A. M. sighted two ships on port bow 
and reported same by flag hoist. At 9 A. M. re- 
ceived SOS saying U. S. S. Tippecanoe was tor- 
pedoed 40-60 miles away; one position 44-36 N., 
16-52 W. At 1 A. M. raced to scene, Fanning 
and Conner searching from other directions. At 
2 P. M. sighted empty life boat and tin cask; off 
course. At 3 P. M. Conner picked up 60-70 
survivors of Tippecanoe and turned toward Brest. 
Conner and Reid put on 26 knots chasing after 

[198] 



War Diary — July 4 to Sept. 1, 1918 

submarine reported shelling British Ship Zamora 
in course, 60 miles away. Nothing seen, not 
even Zamora. 

July 26 — Trailing Conner at 20 knots; coal low. 
Fanning went ahead, oil low. Arrived at Brest 
4:30 P. M. 

July 28 (Sunday) — At 5:15 A. M. man on watch 
tied up Panther's drifting punt. At 5 :20 A. M. 
Preston started coaling ship. At 1 1 :55 A. M. 
Reid coaling; at 6:30 P. M. 230 tons. Harvard 
and Worden stood in. 

July 29 — Smith, Lamson, Christabel, Porter, Fan- 
ning, Whipple and Rambler stood in. 

July 30 — Reid taking coal across Lamson' s deck. 
A. B. Stedman, seaman, USNRF., reported 
aboard from base at Lorient. The following ves- 
sels stood in with New York convoy : George 
Washington, DeKalb, Princess Matoika, Lenape, 
Re D* Italia, Dante Alighieri, Antigone, and Czar- 
itza; Monaghan, Roe, Conner, Wadsworth, Tuck- 
er, Winslow, Little (flag), McDougal, Harvard 
and Ericsson. 

July 31 — Preston, O'Brien, Warrington and Winslow 
stood in. Preston went to Collier Warfish to 
coal. 

August 1 — Moored alongside Warfish. All hands 
up at 6 A. M. Reid, Cushing and other destroyers 
left at 7 P. M. with convoy going west, Cushing 
carrying first captive observation balloon to be 
used to spot submarines off the French Coast. 
Weather rough but balloon behaved well, de- 
scending close to deck every few hours to allow 
pilots to change. 

August 2 — ^Observation balloon went up at 4:50 A. 
M. Destroyers making 1 3 knots. Soissons wrest- 
ed by Allies from Germans. 

August 3 — Continued rough. Left convoy at 9:30 

[199] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

P. M. after stay of 5 1 hours and steamed at 1 8 
knots with Wadsworth and Monaghcin to meet 
New York convoy at rendezvous. Monaghan 
broke breakdown flag for five minutes. 

August 4 (Sunday) — Wadsworth sighted convoy 
and all joined at 9 A. M., including Drayton, 
Winslow, Nicholson, Warrington, Conner, Sus- 
quehanna (flag), Finland, Kroonland, Dante 
Alighieri and three others. 

August 5 — At 5:10 A. M. sighted westbound con- 
voy. At 5 P. M. held gun drill. "My God — 
WHAT stupidity!" cried Lieutenant Smith as fore- 
castle gun crew trained on w^rong target. At 
10:30 P. M. Finland reported man overboard 
and threw off flaming buoy, but did not stop. 
Reid and Roe searched for an hour without find- 
ing anything, then rejoined convoy at 18 knots. 

August 6 — Wireless from Brest warned us to look 
out for submarine operating in one of the chan- 
nels close to land, so convoy and escort went out 
of the w^ay ; no trace of submarine. At 1 1 A. M. 
Monaghan reported sighting floating mine; shot 
it with gun. Arrived in outer harbor at 5 P. M. 
where Reid steamed around for two hours, then 
gave 7 P. M. liberty. Heard story that on day 
before, Preston, out of coal, burned boots filled 
with oil to make port. 

August 7 — Smith, Fanning, Caldwell (69), Erics- 
son, Little, Conner, Warrington, Winslow, Tucker 
and Porter stood out. Reid coaling ship in rain 
from H. M. S. Warfish, and several men hit by 
swinging buckets. P. F. Riley, seaman, reported 
aboard, his ship, the Warrington, having left port 
without him. Nicholson and Terry stood in. 

August 8 — Three men left for States to man new 
destroyer and six left on Paris leave. Preston 
stood out; La France (largest French transport), 

[200] 



War Diary — July 4 to Sept. 1, 1918 

Pocahonteis, Sigourney, Nicholson, Gushing 
Wadsworth, Burrows, O'Brien, Drayton, Wan- 
derer, Macdonough and Emeline stood in. West- 
ward -Ho torpedoed about 200 miles west of 
Brest; floating well. British launched fierce at- 
tack at Amiens. 

August 9 — At 3 P. M. left with Little (flag). Wads- 
worth, Flusser, Preston and Monaghan convoying 
Dante Alighieri and four (probably Finland, 
Kroonland, Susquehanna and one) ; 1 4 knots. 

August 1 — At 9 A. M. condensers started leaking 
and salt going into boilers, so Reid got permission 
to return to base. Received several radio mes- 
sages from Westward-Ho, which was 60 miles to 
south, saying vessel was still afloat and was back- 
ing tow^ard port under her own steam. Rumor 
said "Pen-March Pete** had slipped out of Spain 
and w^as laying "eggs" along the coast again, so 
brushed by Pen-March Point to give him a cheince. 
Arrived at Brest at midnight and tied up to the 
Prometheus for the first time. 

August 1 1 (Sunday) — At 11 :30 A. M. Leviathan, 
Northern Pacific, Great Northern, Sigourney, Mc- 
Dougal, Burrows, Parker, Nicholson, Lamson and 
Smith in; Smith out. At 6 P. M. Westward-Ho 
backed in under her own power, with bow low in 
water; cargo of locomotives. Prometheus gave 
supper and minstrel show for destroyer crews. A 
seaman w^as given five days in paint locker on 
bread and water for insolence and refusing to 
obey the orders of a petty officer. 

August 1 3 — Grew had grapefruit for breakfast. 
Goaling until noon; 45 tons. Ensign Wilson left 
for Paris on 7-day leave. Sigourney stood out. 
At 4 P. M. Reid underway with Lamson toward 
Bordeaux. Smooth. Met convoy of 30 tramp 
steamers bound for United States, with Yacht 

[201] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

Aphrodite senior escort; Noma and Corsair also 
present. 

August 1 4 — At 7 P. M. U. S. S. Montanan, of east- 
bound convoy of 1 7 ships, torpedoed about 46-40 
N., 12-25 W. Her 81 survivors picked up by 
Noma. At 1 P. M. U. S. S. Cubore torpedoed 
and sank in hour. Her 50 survivors picked up 
by Etourdi or Aisne (French destroyers). Tor- 
pedo passed under stern of another merchant ship 
in convoy. 

August 15 — At 1 A. M. West Bridge torpedoed; 
five lost and her 99 survivors, including two 
American girls dressed in dungarees and watch 
caps, picked up by Burrows after spending twelve 
hours in small boats. Sea smooth. Aphrodite 
reported having seen large submarine submerge; 
Drayton dropped depth charges on oil slick; re- 
sult uncertain. At 9 P. M. Reid left convoy at 
18 knots to join incoming ships. 

August 1 6 — Early made contact with eastbound 
convoy of 1 4 vessels, two French destroyers and 
two others. At 3 P. M. Montanan sank, Concord 
and other tugs from Brest being too far off to help 
her. West Bridge reported sinking and captain 
wired he had no hope of saving her, but flour in 
her hold kept her floating and she made Brest 
two or three days later. French vessels rushed 
to her rescue. Crew^ called to general quarters at 
midnight on firing of green rocket, and Captain 
Davidson announced that somebody had been 
tampering with the torpedo tubes. 

August 1 7 — Smooth and quiet except for radios 
saying "Idaho" was being shelled by submarine. 
French vessels sped to aid. 

August 18 (Sunday) — On order of Lamson (flag), 
anchored at Royan, near Bordeaux, at noon and 
had liberty for first and second sections. Left 
at 7 P. M. for Brest ; 1 8 knots. 

[202] 



War Diary— July 4 to Sept. 1, 1918 



August 1 9 — At 9 A. M. Reid and Lamson arrived 
at Brest. Burrows alongside Repair Ship Bridge- 
port. Franklin D. Roosevelt, accompanied by 
Rear Admiral Henry B. Wilson, addressed the 
sailors at the navy hut; called for best efforts to 
whip the Germans, and made quite an impression 
as a humorist. 
August 20 — Little, Conner, Wainwright and wins- 
low in; Warrington, Nicholson, Ericsson and Mc- 
Dougal out. Boatswain's mates and officers try- 
ing to reform the "Dungaree Navy ' with drills 
and regulations, but not getting away with it. 
Ens. Wilson returned from Paris. Madawaska 
stood out. 
August 21 — McDougal out; Vedette, Remlik, War- 
rington, Noma, Sigourney and Little in. Lamson 
came alongside. 
August 22 — Burrows, Conner, Roe, Wmslow, Wads- 
worth and Sigourney out; Lamson in. M^s at- 
tendant who refused to press commanding officer s 
pants and seaman disrespectful to petty officer re- 
leased from five days confinement in paint locker 
on bread and water. 
August 23 — ^Took aboard this date 250 tons of 

August 24 — Macdonough, Preston and Flusser 
stood in. Lieut. Smith left on 10-day leave. 
David T. Sanders, boatswain's mate, and Paul D. 
Seghers, yeoman, left for the United States on 
the same ship. Panic in the yeoman office due to 
alleged shortage of available help. 

August 25 (Sunday)— At 4:30 P. M. set sail with 
Smith toward States with two gilgadgets — War 
Python and Manchester Castle. Nine knots and 
rough during night. 

August 26 — Sea piped down and book entitled 
"Recollections of a Mosby Guerrilla" proved 

[203] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

popular below. At 1 :50 P. M. had steering en- 
gine trouble and steered a while aft by hand. 
August 2 7 — A British destroyer with captive balloon 
sighted. At 1 A. M. bade farewell to War Pyth- 
on and Manchester Castle, and at 4:30 A. M. 
made contact with 1 8 gilgadgets of seven knot 
speed in a pinch, Middlesex included. Flusser 
flagship now; Smith, Preston, Yser (French de- 
stroyer) and six British destroyers. Convoy sepa- 
rated in afternoon, 1 1 gilgadgets going to Eng- 
land and six gilgadgets toward Brest, us with 
them. Smooth and pleasant. 

August 28 — At 9 A. M. man was reported over- 
board from merchant ship, and Reid's life pre- 
servers were made ready to heave. Went back 
and searched but could find nothing, so rejoined 
convoy at 18 knots. At 11:05 A. M. passed 
body of Frenchman floating to port side. At 4 
P. M. Ens. Wilson snapped some kodak pictures 
on the forecastle. Made base at Brest at 
5 P. M. and went to coaling instead of liberty. 
Finished coaling at 12:20 A. M.; 125 tons. 

August 29 — ^Smith coaling ship. Reid moored 
alongside Drayton. Lieut. Wentworth H. 
Osgood reported aboard for duty from Flag Of- 
fice, Brest. O'Brien stood in. U. S. Ss. Konigin 
Nederlanden, Martha Washington and Hender- 
son stood out with Drayton, Lamson, Warrington, 
O'Brien, Nicholson and Parker. 

August 30 — Underway at 1 P. M. convoying Von 
Steuben, America and Martha Washington (?) 
westward at 16-17 knots, accompanied by Roe 
and others. 

August 31 — At 9 P. M. left convoy. At 10:35 P. 
M. Roe flashed breakdown lights, steaming ahead. 
Gave left rudder and passed her safely. 

[204] 




Chapter VIII. 
NEARING THE END. 

N the fall of 1918 the problem of feeding 
Europe in addition to the American armies 
was serious, and numerous small cargo ves- 
sels were pressed into service. These ves- 
sels traveled slowly cind the work of escorting them 
was tedious. This chapter describes a number of 
interesting experiences. 

September 1 (Sunday) — Met eastbound convoy at 
7:50 A. M. At 8:50 A. M. Cruiser Huntington 
(?) left convoy. John Sweeney, returning from 
visit to son at Province Loire et Chere, had run in 
with shore patrol and waited for Reid to return. 
Peronne recovered by Allies. 

September 2 — At 1 1 :50 A. M. Brazilian merchant 
ship hoisted breakdown flag and fell behind. At 
5:30 P. M. sighted three submarine chasers es- 
corting 35 gilgadgets steering southwest. About 
9 P. M. Fanning flashed "man overboard" lights, 
but did not stop. Reid searched but found no- 
body. 

September 3 — Made base at 10:30 A. M. with 
twelve ships. One ship listing to port as Reid 
passed, heavy with doughboys, who cheered. 
John Sweeney reported aboard for duty following 
jollification. Paymaster came aboard. La- 
France, Burrows, Whipple 2uid Rambler stood in; 
Cummings and Little out. 

September 4 — Jarvis in England (Liverpool) for 
overhaul. Czaritza in; Conner, Winslow, Mac- 
donough, Wainwright and Wadsworth out. 
September 5 — Report said Mt. Vernon torpedoed 
in slow westbound convoy £ind proceeding back 
to Brest under own power. Ericsson, Sigoumey 

[205] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

and Princess Matoika out. D. H. Hughes and J. 
Thomas Cavannaugh, seamen, while painting 
ship's side on raft, went adrift with a boat-hook, 
and were picked up by Prometheus liberty boat. 
Reid towed to commercial dock and coaled all 
night. 

September 6 — At 2 P. M. Mt. Vernon stood in, 
having been torpedoed; report said 36 lost lives. 
Slight list to starboard and ship was 1 2 feet low 
in water, due to leakage. At 3 P. M. Reid w^ent 
alongside Tucker, w^hich later stood out. At 6 
P. M. Sigourney (flag), Reid and four others left 
Brest with homeward-bound convoy at 1 5 knots. 

September 7 — Wind 2-4, sea rough and w^eather 
variable. Coal quality inferior; best speed from 
coal, 1 8 knots. Firemen suffering from heavy 
work. 

September 8 (Sunday) — Position four miles ahead 
of convoy. About noon left convoy because of 
poor coal, Sigourney and four continuing west- 
ward. Heard New York convoy was 1 7 hours 
late. Making five knots throughout night. 

September 9 — Dagfin, Norwegian steamer, reported 
by SOS in distress; Corsair ordered to stand by 
her until arrival of tugs from Brest. Reid steam- 
ing to kill time. At 5 A. M. Sigourney granted 
Reid's request to return to port due to inferior 
coal. Warrington near us, low in oil, returning 
to port at 1 8 knots; Reid at 1 5. 

September 1 — Warrington in at 3 P. M. ; Reid at 
5 P. M. Two-hour liberty granted crew, but on 
account of influenza epidemic among French 
sailors, no public places were visited. Bodies of 
36 men reported taken out of firerooms of Mt. 
Vernon in dry dock. 

September 1 1 — Reid towed to alongside Coal Col- 
lier Astoria (Frieda Leonhardt), Harry C. Black 

[206] 



Nearing the End 



and Waring P. Carrington, Jr., "commanding." 
Coaling all night from Astoria. 

September 1 2 — Liberty cut off due to influenza. 
Finished coaling about 5 A. M. and at 6:30 A. M. 
sailed with Warrington, Little (flag), and Lamson 
at 1 5 knots toward England. Americans launch- 
ed hot attack against St. Mihiel salient. 

September 13 — At 7 A. M. picked up large east- 
bound convoy of gilgadgets. At 8 A. M. con- 
voy separated and American destroyers proceed- 
ed with five, including Osage, toward Brest at 9 
knots. Arrived Brest in afternoon. Wanderer 
stood out. Heard Reid would soon go to Eng- 
land for dry dock repairs. 

September 14 — Newspapers announced big Ameri- 
can success at St. Mihiel. Flusser, Smith and Co- 
rona stood in with convoy. At 3 : 1 P. M. Yacht 
Rambler caught fire near sea wall. Bridgeport 
sent fire and rescue party; little damage. Liberty 
restored, but no admission to public places. 

September 15 (Sunday) — Transports Plattsburg 
(old New York) and Harrisburg stood in; Whip- 
ple out. Austria despatched a peace note. 

September 1 6 — Ericsson stood in. Flusser bent 
starboard boat davit coming alongside. Crew 
put on 72 tons of coal from lighter. Visiting of- 
ficer percipitated hot discussion in wardroom by 
reflecting on Admiral Wilson's sea legs. Captain 
Andre M. Procter, of the Panther, was praised as 
an officer without an opportunity in the big war. 
Captain Davidson "broken down with sea ser- 
vice" and gone to hospital. 

September 1 7 — At 8 A. M. crew drew small stores. 
Ensign Murdoch on "win-the-war" voyage to 
Paris. Lieutenant W. H. Osgood, executive of- 
ficer, commanding temporarily, impressed crew 
very favorably as a navigator by backing Reid 

(207] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

outside breakwater and righting her in ten min- 
utes; best previous time, 30 minutes. Under- 
way at 4 P. M. with Lamson and one to meet in- 
coming convoy ; 1 8 knots. Executive officer 
sHghtly sea-sick and got underway to gravity 
tank. 

September 1 8 — Uneventful. Night perfect, with 
moonlight and water in ripples. 

September 1 9 — At 3 A. M. bumped unexpectedly 
into convoy in rain storm, convoy being 1 hours 
ahead of time. Included Mallory (flag), Mon- 
golia, one Britisher (lagging) and six others, all 
containing American troops. Cruiser Hunting- 
ton left convoy at 7:10 A. M. for United States. 

September 20 — Making 13 knots. About 5 P. M. 
Taylor (94), new oil-burning destroyer, fired 
guns and depth charges at submarine. Reid 
went to general quarters; fired six depth charges, 
but saw nothing. Sea smooth. Sigourney flag- 
ship. 

September 21 ^Moonlight on 12-4 A. M. watch. 
At 9 :30 A. M. arrived at Brest with convoy. Lib- 
erty granted at 1 P. M. Lieutenant Henry S. M. 
Clay and Ensign John A. Wilson detached and 
ordered to new destroyers in United States, Mr. 
Wilson going to Paris for a week on important 
business. Mr. Murdoch returned from Paris duty. 
Huron stood inside breakwater. U. S. S. Rin- 
tintin left Prometheus. O'Brien alongside Lam- 
son. Lady friend in Wisconsin sent forward 
compartment a 5 -pound box of marsh-mallows. 

September 22 (Sunday) — Broad Arrow stood in; 
Flusser, Lamson and Warrington out. Crew 
roused out at 7:20 A. M. Had cakes and syrup 
and corned beef hash for breakfast; vegetable 
soup for dinner. While crew was coaling ship 
(at 3 P. M.), received word from Washington 

[208] 




THAT ONE GAVE FRITZ A HEADACHE! 

Letting loose a depth charge at 20 knots, with a con- 
siderable percentage of the crew gathered back aft to 
witness the performance. Near Brest, 1918. 

[209] 




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ONE GENT NOT WORRYING ABOUT THE WAR 
A broken-down French millionaire golfer whose name 
is withheld for obvious reasons; he is an all-round good 
fellow — will drink to your health and at your expense. 






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SORT OF A CRUCIAL MOMENT— 

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"CHIPS" CAUGHT DOING SOME WORK 
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yeoman office porthole. His nemesis, Lieut. Smith, is 
prQbably lingering on the forecastle just above. 



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ASHORE AND FULL OF BUSINESS 

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the corner at Royan, France, on Aug. 18, 1918, set out to 
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A MAN OF SENSE AND DOLLARS, TOO 
Lieut. Jas. H. Smoth, Jr., of Portland, Me., in civil life 
automobile manufacturer and contractor, in "uncivil life'^ 
"first lufP," who dared to smoke cigars on the forecastle. 





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"BON-JOUR! VOULEZ-VOUS PROMENADE?" 

Rue de Siam, the main business street of Brest, where 
the gobs bought most of their souvenirs and gathered 
to tell their strangest yarns. 




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OUR LEADING BARITONE 
Dave Curran, boatswain's mate, used to sell automatic 
fire extinguishers, but he has been advised to put out 
high notes in Grand Opera. 




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that Reid was allowed a star on forward smoke 
stack for damaging submarine U-48 ("Pen-March 
Pete") on March 18, 1918, and Clarence M. 
Stanley, fireman, painted the star on in 30 min- 
utes. Liberty at 4 P. M. and for supper the ship's 
cook prepared a Brunswick stew. 

September 23 — Crew up at 4 :25 A. M. coaling ship. 
U. S. Ss. Sylvan Arrow^ and McDougal stood in; 
Manchuria, Burrows, Sigourney and Cushing out. 
Captain Davidson returned aboard from hospital. 
Coal at base reported low. At 4 P. M. Reid, 
Lamson, Flusser and Monaghan left Brest convoy- 
ing Harrisburg and Plattsburg westw^ard. Heavy 
seas and compartments receiving water. 

September 24 — Continued rough and many of crew 
were sea-sick, especially New Navy men, who 
went on diet of lemon drops. J. A. Lynch, ma- 
chinist's mate, snapped out of bunk and hurt knee 
on stanchion; Paul H. Schaiblein, gunner's mate, 
sleeping on forward comparment deck, unable to 
stay in bunk. Taking waves over the forecastle; 
wardroom a sight. Officers' soup spilt four times 
on top of galley range, and galley deck two inches 
deep in water. Probably sharpest short blow ex- 
perienced yet, rivalling Cardiff storm. Store- 
keeper Hines was heard to remark: "I've seen 
waves come over that forecastle that no human 
man could stand up under." Allied drives con- 
tinued. 

September 25 — Calmer, and began to talk to east- 
bound convoy, which was 1 7 hours late. Crew 
aired bedding on deck. Nearly 1,000 miles west 
of base, setting record. Cushing, Burrows and 
Reid left convoy and formed scouting line, going 
slowly to kill time. Cushing asked if Reid had 
enough fuel; answered yes. Cushing' s short 
course plan put us with convoy at 5 :45 P. M. 

[225] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 



This convoy carried nearly 40,000 American 
troops, probably the largest number so far es- 
corted, and the ships included the Pocahontas 
(flag), ^Finland, Patria (Frekich), Henderson, 
Konigin der Nederlanden, Martha Washington, 
Calamares, and three others; the destroyers Sig- 
ourney (flag), Harding (91), Wadsworth, Ben- 
ham, Porter, Reid and five others; the Battleship 
New Hampshire and a cruiser of unknown name, 
perhaps the Huntington. At 1 1 :30 P. M. the 
New Hampshire and the cruiser turned back to- 
ward the United States. Bulgaria proposed ar- 
mistice to Allies. 

September 26 — Sea smooth and weather variable. 
Transport signalled over to ask what Reid's star 
was for. Replied that it was awarded for bag- 
ging submarine. First trip to sea with star on 
stack. Held target practice, with good score, 
then rejoined convoy. 

September 2 7 — At 2 A. M. Finland and Henderson 
collided. Finland lit up like a church and de- 
stroyers flashed red lights. Convoy sped up for 
fear of torpedoing. Damage small and Finland 
and Henderson soon underway and rejoined con- 
voy after daylight. A small sand-piper blown 
out to sea in storm alighted on deck and was 
chased by seamen and mess attendants; finally 
perched on Lieutenant Smith's cocoa matting on 
forecastle, Lieutenant Gale from bridge ordering 
seamen and mess attendants to give the bird a 
chance. Porter, ahead, shot several "ash cans" 
at suspicious wake, and explosions were heard and 
felt through skin of ship. Crew piled out from 
below decks to participate in the excitement, but 
nothing was seen. At 1 1 P. M. Sigourney warn- 
ed Benham to put out light. Hindenburg line 
broken in the west. 

[226] 



Nearing the End 



September 28 — About 10 A. M. tied up at Brest 
with convoy and destroyers. A lot of dough- 
boys hung over to port to admire our star, causing 
perceptible list. John S. Watters, Jr., Lieut., 
USN., and Paul F. Shortridge, Lieut, USN., re- 
ported aboard for duty from England. Von 
Steuben eind Warrington stood out. Manuscript 
of book for crew w^as returned this date from 
Washington with word that book could not be 
considered for publication during progress of war. 
At 9 : 1 6 P. M. started coaling ship from Coal Col- 
lier Blanchette. 

September 29 (Sunday) — Continued coaling ship 
from Blanchette, and finished about daylight. 
America, Agamemnon, Flusser, Roe, Cummings 
and Tucker stood in. Lamson came alongside 
Reid. Cold and raining. Jesse James Neville, 
machinist's mate of Rabun Gap, Ga., this date 
caught the wrong liberty boat (Henderson's) re- 
turning from liberty, and on passing within 1 00 
yards of Reid, jumped overboard and swam to 
his ship in his blues; was pulled onto fan tail by 
shipmates. Bulgaria surrendered to Allies. 

September 30 — Louisville out; Stewart in. 

October 1 — Macdonough, Stringham (83) and Pat- 
terson (36) stood in; Sigourney, Winslow, Por- 
ter, Jarvis, Wadsworth, Ericsson, Warrington, 
Nicholson and Conner stood out. Shoved ofl 
Paris party of two men, and one man to Morlaix. 
Commanding Officer raved when approached at 
midnight by yeoman requesting information as to 
progress of Will Mulholland's permanent appoint- 
ment as chief water tender; commanding officer 
made a move as if to inflict condign punishment, 
but changed his mind, pulling coverlets over his 
head and going to sleep instead. St. Quentin re- 
captured by Allies. 

[227] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

Oct 2 — At 6:30 A. M. underway with Lamson 
(flag) ; 15.5 knots; going west to meet incoming 
convoy. At 1:15 P. M. went to general quarters 
and investigated pronounced oil slick; patrolled 
at 1 8 knots and secured on failure to develop 
anything interesting. 

Oct. 3 — Early picked up convoy. At 9:50 Aga- 
memnon and America with destroyer escort 
passed dead ahead. 

Oct. 4 — Steaming ahead of convoy. At 10:25 P. 
M. sighted lighthouse two points on starboard 
bow. King Ferdinand of Bulgaria abdicated the 
throne. 

Oct. 5 — At 4:10 A. M. entered breakwater at 
Brest and tied up to Flusser; Lamson to Reid. 
Liberty 1 P. M. to 1 0. P. M. At 7 P. M. Flusser 
stood out. 

Oct. 6 (Sunday) — Little stood out. At 10 A. 
M. Reid started coaling from British Coal Collier 
Ellind; put on 1 65 tons. 

Oct. 7 — Dray ton, Flusser, Burrows, McDougal and 
Sigourney stood in. 

Oct. 8. — Flusser towed to Ellind to coal. Erricsson, 
Jarvis and Nicholson stood out. 

Oct. 9 — At 6:30 A. M. underway with Lamson 
(flag), steaming southwest at 15 knots. Sea 
calm and weather pleasant. Lieut. Osgood 
started a new **reform": put yeomen to work 
doing paper work at sea, trying to pull battleship 
stuff by compiling Ship's Order Book. Canni- 
brai recaptured by British. 

Oct. 1 — Smooth sailing. Ran upon two British 
trawlers on way from Lisbon to Falmouth, one 
with green sail rigged out, which appeared to be 
firing on object. Reid held general quarters. 
Trawler skippers denied they w^ere shooting, but 
declared they had seen submarine Sunday night, 

[228] 



Nearing the End 



Sept. 29. Commanding Officer yelled stereo- 
typed "Good-bye and good luck!" 

Oct. 1 1 — Flusser joined. At 6 A. M. picked up 
convoy of 1 6 ships from States mostly bound for 
Bordeaux; Espiegle (French) senior ship, and 
Yacht May also present. Radio shack reported 
several submarines, but none in our course. Mak- 
ing ten knots. Commanding Officer explained 
to landsman on bridge uses of annunciator, pel- 
orus, ladder to searchlight platform, the wheel and 
such nautical things. Rough most of the day; 
wind 2-5. Left ships bound for Bordeaux and 
with Lamson proceeded at 1 1 knots toward 
Brest with Oil Tanker Maumee; seven submarine 
positions reported, with four submarines sighted, 
but none near us. At 1 :30 P. M. ship on port 
side (Maumee) flashed breakdown lights. At 
10:55 P. M. Maumee turned off running lights 
and white lights and slowly dropped astern. 

Oct. 12 — As before with convoy; now making 9 
knots. 

Oct. 13 (Sunday) — At 3:45 A. M. Maumee again 
showed breakdown lights; turned left and 
crossed Reid's stern. Smooth sea. At 8 Reid 
took soundings; sand and gravel bottom at 25 
fathoms. At 2:25 P. M. Aphrodite, Noma, 
Corsair and seven vessels of convoy turned astern 
and Lamson rejoined Reid. French recaptured 
Laon. 

Oct. 14 — At 7:05 A. M. sighted rocks and Pen 
March Light abeam. At 9 A. M. entered Brest 
and moored alongside H. M. S. Throstle. At 1 
A. M. paymaster paid crew. Liberty. 

Oct. 15 — Crew started coaling at 6:30 A. M. from 
Collier Throstle. Kenmoor, Armagh, Little, 
Bell (95), Monaghan and Nicholson stood out; 
Arizaba, Siboney and Stringham in. At 1 P. 

[229] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 



M., J. Sweeney, engineman, first class, reported 
loss in seamen's compartment of 800 francs and 
a $50 bill in pocketbook. Poker players looked 
nervous until Sweeney found booty stuck in his 
own sock. British captured Lens. 

Oct. 16 — Little, Sigourney, Jarvis, McDougal, Cum- 
mings, Burrows, Wadsworth and Warrington 
stood out. Rumor says all German submarines 
will be called in to bases Thursday, Oct. 1 7, and 
crew hopes to capture a "lame duck" in Bay of 
Biscay. 

Oct. 1 7 — Gushing, O'Brien, Stringham, Sigourney, 
Gummings and Drayton out. Looks like com- 
plete German defeat in 60 days or earlier. 
Ostendy Lille and Douai recaptured by Allies. 

Oct. 1 8 — ^Tucker stood out and Tug Hubbard in. 

Oct. 19 — Mt. Vernon left dry dock with starboard 
side sufficiently patched to make it back to States. 
French tug sunk inside breakwater in collision 
with American destroyer, with loss of one man. 
Little, Benham and Nicholson stood in; Vedette 
out. Bruges, Belgium, recaptured by Allies. 

Oct. 20 (Sunday) — Destroyer work slackening up 
a bit; Reid has been lying in port a week, the long- 
est in a year except when disabled. Underway at 
3:30 P. M. with Tucker as flagship and Roe, 
Monaghan and one convoying Oil Tanker Mau- 
mee westward at 1 knots. Four radio decoders 
now working, which gives four hours on duty and 
12 off. At 9:40 P. M. Tucker fired two green 
rockets and convoy changed course. Belgian 
Coast cleared by AUies. 

Oct. 21 — Smooth and uneventful. Only one sub- 
marine warning so far, off Lizard Head ; probably 
a U-boat making its way back to base. At 9 P. 
M. left Maumee. Reid's position astern of San- 
tore. 

[230] 



Nearing the End 



Oct. 22 — Continued pleasant and crew held gen- 
eral quarters and drills, after joining convoy at 
5 A. M. Now 22 ships in convoy. Conner 
joined. Just before dark seven British destroy- 
ers appeared and took 14 ships toward England, 
8 remaining with American destroyers. One sub- 
marine reported; a straggler off Pen March. 

Oct. 23 — ^Weather sunshiny and crisp. Opened ports 
and played phonograph, and crew lolled about 
deck. One ship lagging behind and Reid with 
it; 10 knots. Passed Benham and Mt. Vernon, 
bound for Boston. Arrived at Brest 3:30 P. M. 
and made liberty. Harvard and Stewart stood 
in; Truxtun out. 

Oct. 24 — Roe and Harvard stood in. Sigourney 
out. Wadsworth went alongside Plattsburg, 
then out. 

Oct. 25 — Murray (97) and Preston stood out. 
Feltore towed out of French Navy Yard after 
discharging cargo of locomotives for American 
Army. Von Steuben and Agamemnon stood in 
with Stringham, Cushing, Benham, Nicholson, 
Parker, Worden, O'Brien and Drayton. Luden- 
dorfF resigned as chief of the German Army Staff. 

Oct. 26 — Report said America had been sunk at 
pier in New York by German sympathizer, and 
that Austria had surrendered. Vedette stood out; 
Bell and convoy stood in, 

Oct. 27 (Sunday) — Prometheus diving party came 
aboard and examined Reid's propellers; one blade 
supposed to have been bent. Parker and Mona- 
ghan stood out; Northern Pacific, Benham and 
Flusser stood in. Westward-Ho stood outside of 
breakwater. Harvard out. Reid moored along- 
side Macdonough. Lieut. Comdr. Comfort B. 
Piatt reported aboard for duty. Austria sued 
Allies for peace. 

[23!] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 



Oct. 28 — At 1 1 :05 P. M. crew started coaling ship. 
Italians crossed River Piave; Austrians in full 
flight. 

Oct. 29 — At 9 A. M. Lieut. Comdr. W. S. Davidson 
was detached and left the ship for the States, and 
Lieut. Comdr. Comfort B. Piatt, formerly in com- 
mand of the Harvard, succeeded to command. 
At 9:30 A. M. Sigourney (flag), Reid and six 
other destroyers left Brest with convoy of 1 
ships headed west, at 1 2 knots. Reid zig-zagging 
ahead of convoy, five miles. Serbs reached the 
Danube, going strong. 

Oct. 30 — Rough weather; secured motor dory to 
prevent loss. Still five miles ahead of convoy; no 
submarines reported. Turks granted armistice. 

Oct. 31 — Continued rough. Several officers sea- 
sick and chased seamen off gravity tank. Smoke 
sighted on horizon. Now 750 miles west of 
Brest. At noon left convoy and maneuvered; 
caught it again. Made contact with eastbound 
convoy, escorted by Battleship New Hampshire 
and others, and turned back toward Brest. 
American drive on West Front turning German 
Army retreat into rout. 

Nov. 1 — New Hampshire left convoy and turned 
toward America. In this convoy w^ere Pocahontas 
(flag). Hospital Ship Comfort, a Brazilian ship, 
an Italian (Due D' Aosta) and four others, all 
with troops except Comfort, w^hich had Red 
Cross nurses. Escorted by Little, Lamson, Mon- 
aghan, O'Brien and Reid. Passed a French ship 
and a British ship at noon which dipped to us, 
and w^e returned the salute as soon as a quarter- 
master could run back aft. Storm hit ships in 
afternoon, probably second w^orst in 1 5 months. 
Reid's engines went dead five minutes, due to 
water in engineroom, and crew was ordered to 

[232] 



Nearing the End 



deck to stand by with life preservers; motor boat 
wrecked; wardroom furniture smashed, books 
and clothing scattered around deck. Keen com- 
petition among New Navy officers and men for 
places on gravity tank, with an occasional Old 
Navy sailor horning in. "Pork Chops" Brown 
and Coppersmith Denning continued chewing 
tobacco and swallowing the juice. An officer de- 
clared he would try for a shore job if he ever 
made port. 

Nov. 2 — ^Storm continued and drove Comfort away 
from other ships, and Little was detailed by Brest 
to find her. Coal low; only 95 tons at 4 P. M. 
British captured Valenciennes. 

Nov. 3 (Sunday) — ^Weather more settled. Poca- 
hontas, Sigourney and Reid together. Little try- 
ing to reach Comfort by wireless, but without 
much luck. Comfort hove in sight at 1 P. M. and 
took position. At 2:30 P. M. tied up in Brest, 
and crew made liberty. Austria surrendered; 
mutiny at Kiel. 

Nov. 4 — Rough inside breakwater. Fire ashore one 
block off Rue de Siam; Frenchmen in shiny brass 
helmets fought fire unsucessfully for two hours; 
doughboys then arriving, w^ithout helmets, put 
fire out in ten minutes. Versailles armistice agree- 
ment adopted. 

Nov. 5 — Reid and Lamson towed to Coal Collier 
Throstle. Macdonough stood out. At 2:15 P. M. 
Roe stood out for United States, with homeward 
bounder flying in the breeze. Reid was ordered 
this date to haul down submarine star awarded 
Sept. 22, 1918 for damaging U-Boat 48 on March 
1 8, the reason being given that rival claims for 
honor had put the matter in controversy. Full 
powers given Marshal Foch by Allies; President 

[233] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

Wilson fired his last shot at Germany through the 
medium of a note. 

Nov. 6 — Coaling from dock at 7:30 A. M.; 255 
tons. No liberty. At 5 P. M. went alongside 
French Schooner Alsace. Lamson, Stringham 
and Porter stood out. American Army reached 
Sedan. 




[234] 



Chapter IX. 
THE ARMISTICE IS SIGNED 

I HE Reid and a half dozen other Brest de- 
stroyers were at sea when the armistice with 
the Germans was signed. They received first 
'definite word of it through a French message; 
then came an American message saying enemy sub- 
marines were not to be fired upon unless they com- 
mitted overt acts. When the news was received 
aboard, the sailors broke into a mighty cheer. Dur- 
ing this period we took a "rest" — three whole days 
at Bordeaux, and nothing to do. 




Nov. 7 — Left Brest at 7 A. M. for Quiberon Bay. 
No submarine warnings. Arrived Quiberon Bay 
at noon. Picked up Steamer Euripides and 
steamed out to sea. Weather a bit rough. Bavar- 
ians proclaimed a republic. 

Nov. 8 — At 1 P. M. left Euripides and turned back 
toward Quiberon. Sighted French patrol boat on 
starboard bow. At night burning side lights 
(screened) for first time since leaving the Azores. 

Nov. 9 — At 2:30 A. M. arrived at Quiberon. Passed 
convoy of four ships putting to sea. At 9 A. M. 
swung ship. At 1 P. M. underway for Lorient, up 
the coast. At 2:30 P. M. arrived at Lorient, 
where had liberty at 3:30 P. M., and returned to 
ship at 9 P. M. Gen. Foch received German 
peace envoys. Kaiser Wilhelm II fled to Amer- 
ongen Castle, Holland. Prince Max of Baden re- 
signed. People of Berlin staged mock revolt 

Nov. 10 (Sunday) — At 6 A. M. Hubbard came 
alongside. Capt. Piatt (the "Little Corporal") 
tried to turn around in narrow channel; stern 
stuck in mud and steering cable broke. After 

[235] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

hour and a half got off again (at 12:30 P. M.) 
and arrived at Quiberon at 2 P. M. Underway 
at 4 P. M. convoying U. S. S. Freedom (form- 
erly the Iroquois) and British Steamer Ulysses. 
Smooth sea; making twelve knots. British reached 
Mons. 

Nov. 1 1 — Continued smooth. Held fire and colli- 
sion drills. Received during morning a submarine 
warning from Lake Nereide (French?), with 
position given as 49-38 N., 01-39 W. Steering 
west true. At noon received wireless from Brest 
in French: "Hostilities cease 1 1 November be- 
ginning 1 1 A. M. Bretagne patrols continue with 
convoys in progress." This message was repeated 
to American Destroyers. Reid, Truxtun, Taylor, 
Cummings, Bell and Drayton, all of which were 
proceeding on duty assigned. As it was 
read below deck the sailors cheered wildly, for it 
looked good to them. At 2:35 P. M. sighted two- 
masted schooner. At 3 P. M. sent farewell sig- 
nals to Freedom and Ulysses and turned back 
toward Brest. 

Nov. 1 2 — At 1 :30 A. M. wire to Truxtun from Dev- 
onport Station said : "Armistice is signed. Hos- 
tilities to cease forthwith. Submarines on surface 
are not to be attacked unless their hostile inten- 
tions are obvious." Arrived Brest 8:30 A. M. 
Dozens of French patrol vessels standing into 
Brest. At noon a French salute of 42 guns was 
fired. French ships flying all flags gaily; Amer- 
ican ships flying flags as usual. Bands of French- 
men, mostly sailors, paraded at Brest throughout 
night, shouting and singing; they were much more 
intoxicated than ordinarily, and the w^omen of the 
shops joined in the celebration. Some American 
sailors and soldiers paraded with the French. 

Nov. 1 3 — Isabel, Benham and Preston in ; Smith 

[236] 



The Armistice Is Signed 



and Benham out. Taylor and Lamson in. From 
9 :20 A. M. to 9:20 P. M. Reid coaling ship from 
Collier Ellind. 

Nov. 14 — Tucker and Gushing out. Smith went to 
coal lighter to coal and Flusser went alongside 
Ellind to coal. 

Nov. 1 5 — Hospital Ship Comfort stood inside break- 
water and moored. O'Brien stood out. Preston 
finished coaling. 

Nov. 1 6 — Truxtun stood in. Reid held captain's 
inspection of ship. Capt. Piatt assigned three 
junior (civilian) officers to clean out whaleboat 
and scrape motor boat. 

Nov. 1 7 (Sunday) — Cushing stood in. Lieut. Comdr. 
E. S. R. Brandt, of the McDougal, commanding 
temporarily while Capt. Piatt went to Paris for 
a week. 

Nov. 18 — Drayton's motor boat caught afire near 
landing and gasoline tank was in danger of ex- 
ploding. Coxswain of Pometheus liberty boat lost 
his head trying to tow motor boat. Passing small 
boats threw fire extinguishers to motor boat crew 
and after fifteen minutes fire was put out. Long 
Beach, which was beached on rocks off Pen- 
March in fall of 1917, put in after repairs in dry 
dock, having been almost continuously out of 
commission. Little and Stringham stood in. 
Wanderer out. 

Nov. 19 — Murray (97) in. Warrington out. Com- 
fort to outer harbor. 

Nov. 20 — Conner, Bell and Warrington stood out 
with Comfort. Broad Arrow and Lamson stood 
out. Glacier and Terry stood in. 

Nov. 21 — Captain's inspection of crew. Caldwell 
in; Taylor out. Lieut. W. H. Osgood detached 
for treatment at naval hospital, Washington, and 
was cheered by crew. 

[237] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

Nov. 22 — Winslow, Monaghan and Little stood in; 
Fairfcix (93), Stringham eind Jarvis in. With 
French pilot aboard Reid got under way at 1 1 
A. M. for Quiberon Bay; 15 knots. Anchored at 
6:15 P. M. at Quiberon. Capt. Brandt refused to 
grant liberty, saying we were standing by on five 
minutes notice. Tied up for night. Squally over 
the bay. 

Nov. 23 — ^Under way at 7 A. M. piloting Hospital 
Ship Comfort out of harbor. Sea smoother. 
Left Comfort in an hour or two and hit up 20 
knots for Brest, Capt. Brandt declaring, "We 
don't want to hang around out here all day!" 
When off Pen March, 40 miles of Brest, 80 miles 
of Quiberon, Flag radio sent us back to Quiberon 
to pick up Stewart's motor boat. Reid's motor 
boat was made ready to go after Stewart's motor 
boat, but gasoline machinist could not make 
Reid's motor boat work, and had to bring Stew- 
art's motor boat to ship with Reid's whale boat. 
Standing by on five minutes notice. Rolled in for 
the night. 

Nov. 24 (Sunday) — Under way at 7 A. M. for 
Brest at 1 6 knots. Increased speed to 23.6 knots, 
then trimmed to ten knots on entering channel to 
Brest. Moored alongside port side of Prometheus 
and Tucker at noon. Expended 120 tons of coal 
on this trip, and cost at French Government's 
minimum price of $20 per ton would be $2400, 
not to mention wear and tear on the ship. Crew 
members ashore on liberty saw Algerian prince 
whose left arm and fingers of right hand had been 
cut off by Germans. He begged to go back to 
the front and cut off some German heads. Capt. 
Piatt back from Paris with influenza, and Lieut. 
Comdr. Brcindt reported for duty aboard 
McDougal. 

[238] 



The Armistice Is Signed 



Nov. 25 — Little, McDougal and Preston stood out 
with two British transports. On returning at 9:30 
P. M. from liberty in Brest in tug and small boats, 
the American sailors were hooted and jeered by 
crowd of French (mostly small boys) on bridge 
above. Several shouted "Americain no good!" 
French boys threw nut hulls and pebbles and 
spat upon sailors, who kept quiet. U. S. S. Nancy 
(otherwise known as a coal lighter) came along- 
side Reid with coal. 

Nov. 26 — Crew coaling ship from Nancy. Censor- 
ship lifted and sailors wrote a lot of love letters 
home. Wilkes, Beale and Sigourney stood in; 
Kimberly (80) out. Ensigns Brown and Murdoch 
notified of advancement to "jiggy jig." The leg 
of A. J. Larner, quartermaster, second class, was 
injured this date by coal bucket striking it, but did 
not prevent him from continuing the evolution of 
coaling ship. 

Nov. 27 — ^Tucker stood in. Capt. Piatt was sent to 
hospital for treatment for influenza. 

Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving Day) — Lieut. Comdr. 
Vance D. Chapline, of the Fairfax, reported 
aboard for duty as commanding officer. Crew 
called to deck while mess cooks set up for chow, 
including roast turkey brought by the Plattsburg. 
Crew up at 6 A. M. and were granted 10 A. M. 
liberty. DeKalb put in w^ith mail. 

Nov. 29 — At 4 P. M. departed for Bordeaux with 
Lamson and Preston on recreation trip. Reid 
flagship first time since May 25, 1918. Rough at 
start, but soon piped down. Picked up Mallory 
about midnight off He d* Yeu, making 1 5 knots. 

Nov. 30 — At 3 A. M. a lone steamer nearly ran into 
Reid. Blew him away with six toots on the whis- 
tle. At 1 :30 P. M. arrived at Bordeaux after 
trip up Gironde River. Crew impressed with size 

[239] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

of docks and amount of material standing in rain. 
Had trouble finding anchorage, and steamed 
aimlessly around for a while. French pilot tried 
to come aboard in pulling boat, but Reid outran 
him. Pilot dropped back astern. Capt. Chap- 
line bawled through megaphone at Lamson cap- 
tain: "I don't know where to go. Anchor any- 
where you like, but just leave room for me." 
Members of crew began to whisper of Capt. Chap- 
line, "That little devil is all right; he don't claim 
to know it all!" Overnight liberty granted crew, 
and everything possible was done to impress 
Bordeaux with the fact that the Lamson, the 
Preston and the Reid had arrived. 

Dec. 1 (Sunday) — International complications 
threatened when three members of crew, given 
48-hour leave, went in direction of Spanish bor- 
der and ran afoul of "intelligence" (not intelli- 
gent) authorities at Hendaye, France, the gate- 
way to Spain in the Lower Pyrenees Mountains. 
Rumor started by irresponsible persons said 
three members of crew tried to capture "Pen- 
March Pete" at Ferrol, but this was denounced as 
a pure fabrication. 

Dec. 2' — Heavy fog continued to grip Bordeaux and 
to gum things up for near-sighted sailors on lib- 
erty. 

Dec. 3 — Crew roused out at 6:30 A. M. and at 10 
A. M. lifted anchor and sailed for Brest. Tide 
strong and whisked Reid against a coal-lighter, 
propeller guard punching hole in it, then by back- 
ing on the engines we managed to nestle snugly 
up against the Danish Steamer Alf-Kobenhaben, 
whose sea cook shouted in tones none too soft: 
"What the hell you doing? Ha' you never run a 
boat before?" Shoved off from our new-found 
friends and tied up to dock to wait for fog to lift. 

[240] 




A LIFE FULL OF COFFEE AND ROLLS 

Here is one of the latter, and a luscious one of 45 de- 
grees, too; taken Dec. 23, 1918, between the Azores and 
Bermuda in the height of a blow. 

[241] 




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DEFYING HIS "SECRETARY OF INTERIOR" 

Officers are not supposed to get sea-sick, but since sea- 
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A JOHN BULL SOUVENIR 
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THE REID IN A FRISKY HUMOR 
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A "CLOSE-UP" OF OUR ENSIGN 

Tliis flag' was broken out especially for our homeward 
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OUR "HOMEWARD-BOUNDER" AT HOME 
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OUR DEPENDABLE CHIEF MACHINIST 

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The Armistice Is Signed 



Underway at 3 P. M. and at 5 P. M. stole up on 
Panther at Pauillac and moored alongside. Pres- 
ton Eind Lamson anchored nearby because of dan- 
ger of breaking Panther's anchor chain, due to 
strong tides. 

Dec. 4 — At daylight, fog clearing a bit, shoved off 
down Gironde River with Preston and Lamson 
toward Royan. Soon anchored again because of 
danger of getting out of channel or running into 
banks. "Lying to" waiting for fog to lift. Ship 
anchored at Royan wirelessed Bordeaux she 
must have ice and water at once or fresh meats 
would be lost. Capt. Chapline opined that we 
might spend Christmas fog-bound at Pauillac. 

Dec. 5 — Anchored all day in fog. Supplies running 
low. Crew doing little but writing letters. Ring- 
ing bell on the forecastle every two minutes. Just 
able to make out lights from Lamson and Pres- 
ton. Lamson skipper yelled through megaphone 
to captain of British steamer anchored hard by: 
"Is your anchor slipping?" Captain replied "I 
think not." Capt. Chapline yelled to Lamson, 
"Where are you going?" Lamson replied, "I am 
going to new anchorage. A steamer just backed 
down on me." 

Dec. 6 — At 3 A. M. fog lifted and three destroyers 
got under way, Lamson with smashed bow plow- 
ing up a lot of spray. Arrived Brest 4:30 P. M. 
Smith's stern chafed Reid's bow and nearly 
punched hole in yeoman office. 

Dec. 7 — Crew coaling ship. Heard we were due to 
have sailed today for Azores, but orders changed. 

Dec. 8 (Sunday) — Crew finished coaling ship at 
3 A M. Lieut. Comdr. Vance D. Chapline was 
this date detached to resume duties on Fairfax, 
shoved off and was given a cheer by the crew. 
Lieut. Comdr. Wm. D. Chandler, Jr., formerly 

[257] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

commanding Destroyer Macdonough, assumed 
command. At 2 P. M. liberty party shoved off 
and Leviathan stood out toward states with our 
Christmas packages for the home folks. British 
Cable Layer John Pendar, said to be second 
largest of its kind, engaged in laying big Franco- 
American cable, lying alongside, and her crew 
came aboard and we gave them practically all our 
library books. 
Dec. 9 — At 8 A. M. Flusser, Stewart, Truxtun and 
Whipple left for the States via Azores with home- 
ward bound pennants flying. Ships in harbor 
gave departing vessels whistle solo and cheers. 
Paymaster paid crew Christmas money, and crew 
went ashore and settled its bills w^ith the French, 
hearing we would leave Brest Wednesday, Dec. 

n, 1918. 

Dec. 10 — Ensign Leven Jester, U. S. N. R. F., a 
Yale man who won a commission on a yacht from 
rank of seaman, reported aboard for duty. He 
got along well from the start, due to his knowl- 
edge of seamanship. 




[258] 



T 



Chapter X. 
HOMEWARD BOUWD 

HE "Good old U. S. A." took on a new 
meaning for the men when it was announced 
that w^e were to leave at once for home. The 
sailors paid their bills ashore, told the mad- 
emoiselles goodbye and offered a hand to raise our 
homeward-bound pennant. We spent a pleasant 
week at Ponta Delgada, Azores, on the return, anid 
renewed many friendships there; then we spent a 
day in Bermuda, and arrived at Charleston Dec. 3 1 , 
1918. On New Year's the band of the U. S. S. 
Savannah woke us up with patriotic airs, and we 
could almost forget that we had missed Sec- 
retary Daniels' widely-heralded Fleet Reviev/ in 
New York. 



Dec. 1 1 — Underway at 7:45 A. M. for Ponta Del- 
gada, Azores, with Lamson and Preston. Smith 
rammed by a tug and condition of her bow 
keeps her at Brest for repairs. As three destroy- 
ers passed out of breakwater Smith's crew on 
deck gave us a loud cheer. Prometheus crew 
failed to cheer, but tw^o or three w^aved farewell 
to friends. Cummings opened up whistle and 
soon twenty destroyer whistles were tooting a 
symphony to the majority of the old First Divis- 
ion of Coal Burners, which had been the first to 
arrive at Brest. French mademoiselles of Old 
Brest weeping copiously at the coal dock. Mak- 
ing 20 knots; rough weather. Following queer 
course of 1 1 70 miles which misses presidential 
party on George Washington. 

Dec. 12 — Stormy and rough all day and New 
Navy Officers and gobs broke out the lemon 

[259] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

drops. Coppersmith Denning smoking a vile pipe 
and telling tiresome yarns in forecastle. Slowed 
down to 1 6 knots. 

Dec. 1 3 — Not so rough. Off our course at night. 
At midnight changed course to southward. 

Dec. 14 — Lost islands early in morning, then went 
south and sighted St. Michael's at IDA. M. 
Making 1 2 knots now so as not to frighten the 
natives. Passed cities of Lagoa and Fail de Terra 
at foot of mountain. Tied up with Lamson and 
Preston at 2:30 P. M. Tonopah, Flusser, Stew- 
art, Truxtun, Whipple, Christabel and others in 
harbor. Crew made liberty at 4 P. M. and went 
around sampling the wine, and visited the Hotel 
Appetite and the "Hole in the Wall.** Our Portu- 
guese friends very glad to see us, but have raised 
prices since 1917. Banana price the same, 1 
cents a dozen; also pineapples, two for two-bits. 
Orion Cafe supper now $ 1 ; same at American 
Cafe, — all the galinhas (chicken) a sailor can eat, 
and all the wine he can drink. 

Dec. 15 (Sunday) — Christabel stood out; Truxtun 
shoved off from Reid to collier. At 8 A. M. 
diver went down to Truxtun keel to make exam- 
ination. Reid moored betw^een Preston and 
Stewart; Lamson next to Preston. Diario dos 
Azores, a daily newspaper, announced on bulletin 
board assassination of Dr. Sidonio Paes, presi- 
dent of Portugal, in attempt to restore monarchy. 
One of Reid's gunner* s mates given scalp mcis- 
sage by shore patrol and a fireman captured 
when they imbibed too freely in mouscatelle. 
Met our old college chums Rolando Viveiros, 
Augusto S. and Luiz Moreira, Evaristo Ferreira 
Travassos, Henrique Machado Avila and Wad- 
dington Resende. Jacome Torrao escorted a 
party of Reid men to the Azorean Musical Club*s 

[260] 



Homeward Bound 



club rooms, and put on a stringed instrument 
concert that was a wonder. Vedette stood in. 

Dec. 1 6 — Day broke clear and sunshiny. All flags 
ashore and aship half-masted for the assassinated 
President of Portugal. Machinist George Zie- 
mann arranged w^ith native chauffeur to provide 
four automobiles Tuesday, Dec. 1 7, for trip of 20 
gobs to baths and hotwells of Furnas, at rate of 
$5.20 apiece on account of prohibitive price of 
gasoline. Senhors Avila, Manuel Antonio de Vaz- 
ioncellos and Antonio Monez Feijo used their 
good offices to beat down the price. 

Dec. 1 7 — Chauffeur Jacome Luiz Tessorara took 
station at Catholic Church with four automobiles, 
awaiting arrival of Reid party, but the trip to 
Furnas w^as disapproved by Capt. Chandler, who 
gave no reason for his high-handed action. Mem- 
bers of party kept out of sight of automobile driv- 
ers all day long. Gentle breeze sprang up and 
night proved wonderful for sleeping purposes. 
Wenonah, Druid, Arcturus, Sequoia and Francis 
L. Skinner stood out. 

Dec. 18 — Sky overcast. Warm; thermometer about 
60 degrees. Two mine layers stood in. Crew 
and natives putting coal on deck for long trip to 
Grassy Bay, Bermuda; 260 tons. Services held 
ashore for the late President of Portugal. Crew 
begged "comical steward" to buy some cheap 
fruit, but his lordship said one of the officers said 
we couldn't afford it, so the crew went and bought 
its own fruit. Beans and "red lead" for break- 
- fast. Had only one feed of fruit in week, with 
fruit plentiful and cheap. Crew began filling up 
lockers with pineapples and oranges for long trip 
to Bermuda. Senhor Avila told group of sailors 
at Cervejaria Cosmopolita of American attempt 
to build railroads in the Azores, frustrated by 

[261] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

British agents £ind interests at Lisbon; also of de- 
sire of Azoreans to obtain independence under 
American protectorate. Shawmut and Aroostok 
stood in. Aroostok and Shawmut stood out. 

Dec. 19 — Beans and "red lead" for breakfast. Pres- 
ton flew homew^ard bounder and stood out; same 
with Stewart; same with Lamson. Jarvis, Cum- 
mings, McDougal, Burrows and Isabel stood in. 
Continued coaling. At 1 P. M. Repair Ship 
Dixie stood in and Coppersmith Denning went up 
in crow s nest trying to sight old shipmates. 
Finished coaling at 4:43 P. M., having taken total 
of 293 tons aboard, part of it on deck. At 5 P. 
M. flew homeward bounder and followed Pres- 
ton and Lamson and Flusser toward Bermuda. 
Steaming astern of Flusser, SOP, and starboard 
beam of Whipple. Reid to stand by Whipple if 
her coal gave out; Flusser by Word en; Lamson 
and Preston by Stewart and Truxtun. Steaming 
at 12-15 knots, separately by groups at times. 

Dec. 20 — Smooth sailing. Using coal supply from 
deck. Decided to steer southerly course to escape 
storms and to cover 2400 miles in nine days. 

* Moonlight, cool and pleasant. 

Dec. 2 1 — Whipple had condenser trouble and 
Reid slowed down to eight knots to stand by her. 
At 9 P. M. made out steamer heading in south- 
westerly direction. At 9:35 P. M. made speed 1 6 
knots to avoid collision with steamer. At 9:37 
crossed bow^ of steamer, distant 300 yards, then 
resumed standard speed. 

Dec. 22 (Sunday) — Began getting rough; wind 
3-4. 

Dec. 23 — Storm continued. Compartments flooded 
and in hapless condition; yeoman office littered 
with forms and papers, but happily dry. At 1 1 
A. M., while waves were very high, Whipple 

[262] 



Homeward Bound 



signalled, "Man overboard." (It was Chief 
Quartermaster Lee, swept off by a wave) . Reid 
circled and presently sighted two buoys, one 
flaming, dropped by Whipple, but saw nobody 
with them. After an hour Capt. Chandler sign- 
alled Whipple, "Do you see anything? If not, 
suggest we go ahead." No reply to this sugges- 
tion, and search continued euiother hour, when 
search was abandoned. Tip of Reid's mainmast 
snapped off and was secured; aerial down tem- 
porarily, but rigged it out again. Intercepted 
wireless message from Wenonah saying she had 
just lost overboard Lieut, (jg) Reuben Orey, U. 
S. N. R. F., of Somerville, Mass. Report went to 
Washington via Cruiser Wheeling at Grassy Bay, 
Bermuda. 

Dec. 24 — Smoother and pleasanter, but still dis- 
agreeable. Oranges and pineapples from Azores 
making life worth living for crew. Worden, 
escorted by Flusser, broke down, lacking water. 
Steamer O. K. Luckenback was steaming on 
parallel course and was asked by Flusser if she 
could give 5000 gallons of water to Worden. 
Luckenback did not answer for three hours, then 
offered to tow Worden 700 miles to Bermuda; 
offer accepted. 

Dec. 25 (Christmas Day) — Calmer. Bunch playing 
poker in forward compartment. Sun came out 
and crew celebrated Christmas by fishing for sea- 
weed and reading around chart-house. Had 
mackerel with tomato sauce for dinner; spuds 
with jackets on, apricots, white bread, butter, 
beans and pumpkin pie which was no good. 
Forced to break out hard tack when bread gave 
out. Sighted Flusser and Worden laboring 
astern. Radio message told of plans for big fleet 
review in New York in which all destroyers pres- 

[263] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

ent would take part, and of decision of Allies not 
to strengthen Russian garrison. At 7 P. M. sighted 
light three points forward of port beam; light 
disappeared and we could not find it again. At 
10:55 P. M. Word en stopped; Flusser, Reid and 
Whipple also stopped. Mighty slow business for 
Christmas Day. 

Dec. 26 — Choppy sea. Flusser ordered Reid to 
give Whipple 1 5 tons of coal. Capt. Chandler 
wired back that Reid had sacks for only four tons, 
and suggested the advisability of taking the 
Whipple in tow. Lamson, Preston, Stewart and 
Truxtun nearby but out of sight. Flusser waiting 
with Luckenback to take Worden in tow. Reid 
took Whipple in tow about noon. Her chain 
broke. She went ahead an hour and Reid 
caught up after some difficulty in taking up 
broken 9 -inch line w^ith capstan. Made line fast 
again and proceeded at 12 knots, 500 miles from 
Bermuda. 

Dec. 27 — Flusser wired Reid to take on enough 
coal at Bermuda to make New York at 20 knots, 
plus 5 tons reserve, so as; to arrive Dec. 3 1 if 
possible, in time for big fleet review Jan. 1 , 1919. 
Tow^ing Whipple now at 9 knots, w^aiting for other 
vessels to catch up. Wireless told of death of 
"Hobey" Baker, Princeton * 1 3, star hockey and 
football player, in aeroplane accident; also of 
plans to entertain homecoming destj^oyers in 
New York. Raining. 

Dec. 28 — Raining hard 12-4 A. M. ; then drizzling. 
All hands up at 6 A. M. to haul in towing line 
when Whipple w^as released from tow. Arrived 
Grassy Bay at noon. Preston went on beach in 
trying to cut through narrow channel. Tug 
rushed to pull her off. Crew started coaling at 
3:20 P. M. British Cruiser Gloucester (?) in 

[264] 



Homeward Bound 



dock. Cruiser Wheeling called for alphabetical 
list of Reid's crew and list of officers. Beef from 
shore 35 cents a pound; ice one cent a pound; 
bread 9 1 -2 cents. Officers went ashore. 

Dec. 29 (Sunday) — Crew continued coaling at 
midnight. Showers. Finished coaling at 9 A. 
M., having taken aboard 1 78 tons, as ordered by 
Capt. Chandler, chief petties having advised only 
150. Old Dr. Felts gave crew change-of-climate 
pills. Overcast and damp as Flusser, Lamson 
and Reid departed. Preston still stuck on mud 
bank. New York orders changed at 11 A. M., 
and going to Charleston instead. Deep groans 
from certain members of the crew. Hoping to 
make port for New^ Year's. 

Dec. 30 — Rough all day. Making 15-20 knots. At 
9:50 P. M. Flusser dropped out of column and fell 
behind, making 1 5 knots to save coal. 

Dec. 31 — At 4 A. M. sea piped down, and balance 
of day was smooth. At noon out of our course 
and followed coast to south. At 1 P. M. sighted 
Cape Romain Light and Wreck of the Hector. 
Lamson plowing up sea ahead with damiaged 
bow, Reid next and Flusser behind. Saw mirages 
thought to have been land. Flew homeward 
bounder just before passing Fort Sumter and 
entering Cooper River. Passed U. S. S. Com- 
anche and passengers cheered. Light rain show- 
ers; foggy. Scared up a wild goose in course. 
Tied up in Navy Yard near U, S. S. Savannah at 
6 P. M. Thirty-six hour liberty granted sections 
rating liberty. Lieuts. Brown and Murdoch 
filed applications for discharge, and commanding 
officer passed the buck to headquarters at Wash- 
ington. Many members of the crew also pre- 
pared to commence to take the necessary steps 
to gain their freedom. 

[265] 



Life Aboard Ship 



^? 



^^ 



I 



T is not often that a ship can boast of a sailor 
who, in addition to doing his regular work 
about the deck, can find time and inclination 
to write vividly and grippingly of the things 
he does and sees day by day; but in Timothy Brown 
the Reid had such a man. "Brownie" wrote from 
the Azores Islands and France a series of "Dear 
Family" Letters to his homefolks in Madison, Wis., 
that contain the best material of its kind we have 
been able to find, and we take pleasure in presenting 
it here after saying a few words about "Brownie" 
himself. 

"Brownie" had graduated from the University 
of Wisconsin in 1911 and from Harvard Law 
School in 1914, moved away to Milwaukee, and 
w^as enjoying a good law practice when war for us 
was declared. His friends urged him to go into in- 
tensive training to become an officer, but "Brow^nie" 
declared he wanted to get into the game quickly so 
as not to miss any experiences or opportunities for 
useful service, so he signed up with the recruiting 
officer at Milwaukee .as a second-class seaman. 
From there he proceeded to the Brooklyn Navy 
Yard, where he got his first touch of the life, fighting 
his way w^ith the rest of the sailors into the chow 
compartments, but without any broken bones. This 
was aboard the Receiving Ship Prinzess Irene (later 
renamed the Pocahontas, and used to transport 
troops abroad), from which ship, on or about June 
8, 1917, "Brownie" went to become a member of 
the crew of the Reid. 

Having previously dined with tramps and kings, 
it did not upset "Brownie" in any respect to join a 
submarine destroyer of the so-called "Dungaree 

[266] 



Life Aboard Ship — "Dear Family" Letters 



Navy." He could either get along in peace with 
the crew or use his fists; and he could tell many 
Annapolis dudes a lot of things about seafaring they 
never heard of before. As a sailor he was always 
first to rouse out of his bunk in the morning, always 
lowest in the stifling dust of the coal lighter when 
the crew were coaling ship, and always the last to 
ask a hand on anything he could do for himself. 
He was advanced rapidly to the places of seaman, 
coxswain and boatswain's mate; and then he stood 
the second best examination in a European port for 
advancement to temporary ensign as a regular of 
the establishment, and after setemingly unneces- 
sary delays he received his commission, in June, 
1918. "Brownie" did not consider that he had 
quite reached Heaven on moving his duds from be- 
low to the wardroom, but ordered the same size 
hat he had always worn, and continued his interest 
in his shipmates. He was advanced again, to the 
rank of lieutenant (junior grade), with which rank 
he finished the war voyage w^ith the Reid and was 
discharged so he could resume the practice of law. 
It is unnecessary to say that as an officer his orders 
were promptly obeyed with spirit, and when he left 
the ship he was given the glad hand by the entire 
crew and three rousing cheers. * 'Brownie** exem- 
plified the spirit of patriotic young America in the 
war, and it remains for some author who wants a 
good subject to take a hint from "Tom Brown at 
Oxford'* and write fully of "Tim Brown at Sea." 

While mentioning "Brownie** in this connection, 
it is appropriate to state that we had numerous lads 
aboard ship who accomplished little less; that we 
sent one of our quartermasters, Richard W. Hub- 
bard, of Tennessee, and David T. Scinders, a boat- 
swciin*s mate from Maine, and former student at 
Yale, who received most of his experience on the 

[267] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

Yacht Guinevere, to the states to receive commis- 
sions after a course of study; also that Frank W. 
Kluge, chief electrician, and Emil George Ziemann, 
chief machinist's mate, put on the gold lace of **bolo 
men" and moved to the wardroom from the chiefs* 
quarters back aft. It is also appropriate and we 
gladly mention the contribution which "Brownie's" 
good mother made to our happiness in the gift of 
phonograph records, books and magazines; euid 
now, * 'Brownie", tell our families like you told your 
own how we lived on the Good Ship Reid ! 

TELLS OF ODD INCIDENTS. 

Ponta Delgada, Azores, 

August 20, 1917. 
DEAR FAMILY: 

This has been a big day, for another mail came, with 
many letters and papers for the boys. I have read my 
letters and made a start on the rest. I am so glad to hear 
from you all. Your letters are so much more interesting 
when you are at home than when you were shooting around 
foreign ports. 

Things are going along w^ell. We have the most delight- 
ful temperature, both for w^orking and for sleeping. We 
don't get more than our share of rain, but it usually comes 
down just after w^e have spread out our bedding to air. 
The place where we stay mostly w^hile not at sea is at- 
tractive and most picturesque ashore, while the harbor life 
is always interesting, and the boats of the inhabitants are 
so well kept that it is a pleasure to see and watch them. 
There is one little schooner in particular that is a perfect 
joy and she is not a yacht, but a cargo boat at that. An 
old man owns and runs her, and spends his timev shining 
and rubbing her up, except a few times a day when he 
craw^Is into his dinghy and sculls himself around the har- 
bor, or ashore for a bottle of red w^ine. He is known to us 
as Robinson Crusoe, and fits the part to a nicety, but Friday 
must have got away from him. 

Speaking of schooners, w^e passed one the other day with 
her name, "Bom Jesus," painted in big* white letters on the 
stern. The crew stared and one man exclaimed, "Bum 
Jesus I What a hell of a name!" 

[268] 



Life Aboard Ship — "Dear Family" Letters 

Funny things keep happening. For some time no one 
seemed to have a taste for spuds, and the same dish of them, 
boiled with the jackets on, came down from the galley for 
several meals. Of course in their many journeys they get 
rather dilapidated. One day they didn't appear. We asked 
the mess cook w^here they were and he said: "They done 
wore out." I guess they did. Anyw^ay, our appetites re- 
turned and w^e are now eating a new^ lot. 

The old boat rolls quite a bit and pitches like a hobby- 
horse, but I will start a letter and tell you how^ glad I was 
to get a fine lot of mail day before yesterday. I have been 
busy ever since and this is the first chance I have had to 
write. 

A couple of nights ago I saw a beautiful sight at sea. 
The sea was full of sportive fish and phosphorus. We would 
plow along and the sea w^ould get all milky, and gradu- 
ally lighter and brighter till a whole school of fish w^ould 
come to the surface, and then — how^ the fire would flash I 
And w^e kept running from one school of porpoises to an- 
other, and you bet they niade some fireworks, and I could 
trace their paths w^ay below^ the surface by the white trails 
they made as they plunged along. I never saw^ anything 
just like it, nor do I expect to. 

Night watches are always quite interesting anyway — at 
least the start of each and the finish of each are. The 
boatswain of the w^atch comes dow^n and w^akes you. There 
is no light at all, or at most one very heavily shaded, so 
you dress in the dark and go up on deck. It is dark there, 
too, except for the stars, but there is quite a little activity — 
men coming off w^atch and others going to take their places 
pass each other, hanging on to the life lines — coal heavers, 
all tired and grimy, coming forward to the w^ash room with 
their pails, tow^els and clean clothes; engineers trying to rub 
off some of the oil with handfuls of waste; and deck hands 
all bundled up in pea-coats or oil-skins and wearing life- 
preservers. There is a little crowd around the galley 
w^here the new^ watch gets a cup of "jabber" (coffee) and 
a sandwich, and the old watch stops to take a smoke and 
discuss something that has been sighted, a submarine lying 
in our course ahead, or to kid the unlucky one who re- 
ported a "light" that later turned out to be the moon. Then 
the ship quiets down for another four hours, and those who 
have been relieved go below^, where it seems w^arm and 
stuffy after the cool night air; and they get undressed (some 
of them) and pile into their bunks. Pretty soon someone 

[269] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

starts to talk in his sleep, but not enough for you to learn 
his secrets, for he is mixing Portuguese with his English; 
and you try to find some way to lie so you won't roll around 
or out of the bunk; and the cups and dishes clatter in the 
mess lockers and something slides off the range in the gal- 
ley and bangs on the steel deck like a giant hammer in the 
establishment of Vulcan; the ship's cook swears and the 
sea thunders on the bulkhead next to your ear; then the 
sun comes down the hatch along with the boatswain, who 
shouts, "Up all hammocks! Arise and shine! Where do 
you think you are — at home on a furlough?" You take 
a w^ash, the mess cook brings down the beans and you go on 
watch again. 

I am not leading the bloodthirsty life ^ou might imagine. 
In port my life is about as hazardous as any of Bernard's 
boatmen, and at sea, standing watch in the crow's-nest and 
leaning up against a mast is not as dangerous as leaning 
against a lamppost at home, for here there are no runaways, 
or building material to drop upon me. You have no doubt 
been reading some of the newspaper stories back home, and 
imagine that w^e go around w^ith a blunderbuss in one hand 
and a belaying pin in the other, with a cutlass between the 
teeth, looking for Germans equipped with even more ter- 
rible and scientific weapons; but while we would be glad 
to find the German and hit him with anything we could 
reach, the fact remains that we find little opportunity to imi- 
tate Captain Kidd. Our existence is almost pastoral and 
idyllic in its serenity. 

I am still feeling fine. Lots of love. 

TIMOTHY. 
« « » 

GREATEST LIFE IN THE WORLD. 

Ponta Delgada, Azores, 

September 2, 1917. 
DEAR FAMILY: 

A quiet Sunday in port gives me a chance to start a letter. 
My clothes are washed, but frequent rain squalls keep them 
from drying on the line back aft. I usually go to sea with 
a locker full of wet clottes, so it will not be any surprise 
to me to get under way^ It is always fun to start out to 
sea again, though, w^et clothes or not, and it is fun to come 
back to port, too, and get a good night's sleep with no roll- 
ing and the air ports open and work enough to give you a 
real appetite. Then we stay in long enough that I am 
ready to move; so you can see that things are arranged 

[270] 



Life Aboard Ship — "Dear Family" Letters 



just right. The only drawback is that sometimes we go to 
sea with the decks and compartments dirty, and that is bad, 
because there is never a real chance to get cleaned up 
properly while we are under way. On the big boats work 
goes on pretty much as usual, but with us, about all we can 
do is to stand watch and look for trouble until we come 
in again. We are not usually rushed in that way, though. 
Somebody bought three rabbits for mascots the other day 
and they have a box on the fan-tail near the firemen s com- 
partment. I don't know as rabbits are very good mascots 
for a man-of-war, but if association with the "black gang" 
doesn't make them tough, it will soon kill them, so my 
worry is purely academic. Our Executive Officer has or- 
dered the rabbits put off the ship, saying, "Who ever heard 
of trying to raise rabbits on a destroyer?" but I suspect the 
real reason is that they got into the ice box the other day 
and ate a plate of lettuce that had been reserved by our 
w^ardroom steward for him. Speaking of pets, another sai- 
lor bought a puppy for two dollars, but after lugging it 
around for a few hours, part of the time slung by the legs 
over his shoulder, he traded it to a bum-boat man for a 
ten-cent watermelon that he could carry on the inside of 
him. 

There is another boat in the harbor somewhat larger 
than we are, and today she had a concert on board by a 
local band. "Hail, Columbia 1" sounded pretty good from 
where I sat. As they were to w^indward, we could hear 
pretty well, till rain drove the band below. Mr. Mendels- 
sohn's battle song was also rendered with spirit. The other 
pieces did not fit in with anything I had heard before. 

It is mighty nice here this evening. I have had a good 
bath in my pail, had plenty to eat and enough pulling trips 
in the wherry to enjoy the grub, and now I feel just tired 
enough to be contented. My clothes are scrubbed, today 
was pay-day and I have no anchor watch to bother about. 
C'est la guerre I 

A good breeze comes in through the port, and outside 
is a harbor full of ships with many foreign flags and a 
sprinkling of our own. On the other side is a little town 
full of low buildings with bright-colored walls and roofs and 
picturesque country on the steep hillsides behind. The boat 
rolls just enough to be rocking me to sleep. My friends 
are sitting around writing and reading or playing cards 
or acie-deucie, a game on a backgammon board. I'm glad 
nobody raised me to be a soldier! And maybe we will be 

[271] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

broken out at midnight and pitch around outside for a 
week, and the soldiers in their nice, muddy dugouts will say, 
"God pity the poor sailors on a night like this!" 

Lots of love, TIMOTHY. 

A POET IS DISCOVERED ABOARD 

At Sea, July 29, 1917. 
DEAR FAMILY: 

Today is Sunday — warm, and not too much w^ind to be 
in comfort anywhere on the ship. I have stood my morning 
watch, washed my clothes, eaten a good dinner, and am now 
waiting to go on w^atch again, from 4 to 8 o'clock this even- 
ing. Then I will take a bath and sleep until 4 o'clock to- 
morrow morning. 

Yesterday I saw a beautiful bark going along with a 
15-mile wind on her quarter. She was one of the most 
wonderful things I ever saw. Do you know the names of 
her sails? I do. I enclose a drawing I made of her. 

Our regular routine still keeps on; stand watch, sleep, 
scrub clothes, make the ship tidy, eat and loaf; study if you 
are ambitious and wakeful at the same time. In port, of 
course, there is more w^ork daytimes getting ready for sea 
again, and less standing watch. In the gun drills I am still 
being shifted around to see which one of several jobs I can 
be most useful at. Lately I have been acting as "talker." 
He stands on the bridge, does some of the work figuring out 
the range of the target, and hollers the result to the guns, 
via the speaking tubes. The position calls for one whose 
voice carries clearly over the tube and who can figure with- 
out being rattled. I don't know how long I will be tried out 
there. The last one on the job was not able to make him- 
self understood clearly, so they are trying me. 

The other day I asked to take the wheel and was allowed 
to do so for a w^hile. I did not steer a good course and 
found it was quite a trick. The ship swings around and 
yaws a good deal, and of course you can't feel her, as the 
w^heel only controls the steam steering engine. I think it 
must take some practice to learn just when to act to keep 
her steady. The stunt, of course, is to keep a "lubber's 
line" on the binnacle opposite that point on your compass 
card ^vhich is given you as your course. I am going to try 
again and get what practice I can at the wheel, so I will be 
better than I am now when an extra man is needed there. 

The last time we coaled, we did so from lighters, and one 
of them w^as an old square-rigger. She must have been very 

[272] 




UP 40 FEET TO THE CROW'S NEST 
This point of vantage was used to sight things from 
afar and to knock sea-sickness out of "New Navy" men. 
Seaman Timothy Brown, author of "Dear Family 
Letters", is shown taking his post. [273] 




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"TOM BROWN," PLEASE TAKE A BACK SEAT! 
"Tim" Brown will fill j^our place! Here's "Tim" as 
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a racket when he left for home. 










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NO TWO ALIKE, ARE THERE? 
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OUR "FIRST LORD OF THE GALLEY" 
A sea-cook of scholarly attainments who won his 
spurs (or heels) in the Battle of Santiago. In fighting 
trim he referred to mess cooks as "automatic boobs." 



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TWO GROUPS OF JOLLY TARS 
Top: Haerer, Haas, Goodnight, White, Hauser, Mi- 
chalo, Wilcox, Scott, Hoffman. Bottom: Scott, Cooper, 
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A SOUVENIR FOR THE KAISER 

The "presentation committee" is composed of "Rosy," 
"Muggsy," "The Count," "Watty" and "Andy." PoAta 
Delgada, Azores, August, 1917, just before we left for 
Queenstown. 







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A COUPLE OF BUGS AND NUTS AT SEA 
Seamen "Danny" Hughes and "Rag Doll" Cavannaugh, 
painting the side one day, went adrift, but by excellent 
seamanship (using boathook and handkerchief) got back. 







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SPIRIT OF SEAMANSHIP 

Hats off to John Chisholm, the champion paper-weight 
of Mississippi, who used to cut queer capers as a mess 
cook on the seamen's compartment ladder ! 




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Life Aboard Ship — "Dear Family" Letters 

handsome once, and still has the remnants of an elaborate 
figure-head, and a most beautiful sweep to her bow. She 
made me think of an old actress who had turned property 
woman when she got old, and was trying to help the new^ 
generation make a good performance. 

I got a scare the other night. I was on watch, and there 
was a lot of phosphorus in the water. Suddenly, from about 
50 feet away a white streak shot through the water toward 
our side, right below where I was standing. I guess it was 
a large fish. I thought it was a torpedo, for I hollered, "Hi, 
look at that!" The officer of the deck asked what the trou- 
ble was and the bo'sun's mate said, "Brown got a little 
scared about a fish, sir." Brown was more surprised than 
scared, but if I had had time 1 would have been a good deal 
more scared than I w^as. I will be scared next time, too. 

We have a Maine Yankee for one of our cooks. The day 
he came aboard he told me he was a brick-layer by profes- 
sion, and was a poet in disguise. I thought my disguise was 
probably about as perfect as any one's, and to prove it I 
borrowed the yeoman's typewriter and hammered out a 
poem. One of the men posted it on the bulletin board, 
w^here it was received with more appreciation than my ef- 
forts have always had, much more than it deserved. The 
men said, "Brown has written a good piece; have you seen 
it?" and the officers asked the yeoman to make some copies. 
People look at me as though I was the three-legged boy, and 
quote parts of it around the deck. I have sworn off now 
lest they say that as a sailor Brown is a good poet. 

Sailors have a wonderful fund of information. It is simp- 
ly inexhaustible. Bullen noticed this when he went to sea 
on the Cachelot, and it is still so. They have told me that 
the British West Indies is that part of South Africa that the 
English took from the Boers. That piece of combined geo- 
graphy and history is hard to beat. It makes arguing diffi- 
cult. The specialists are certainly posted in their fields, 
though, and are extremely kind and good-natured in giving 
their time to explain things to me, when I can think of a 
question sensible enough to ask. 

The man who knows the sea and sailors and ships is John 
Masefield. I have often wished that I had along my copy of 
his verses, for they just hit things, and being so appropriate 
it w^ould be easy to learn the w^hole lot of them by heart. 

I am having great times. Just now I think of all the fun 
I have had sailing and at football games and all the good 
picnics and parties I've been to, and when I get home I'll 

[289] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

certainly have something more to remember that doesn't 
happen to everybody. I wish I could tell you where we 
are and w^hat we are up to. I think you would all be proud 
to have me here and would tell everybody, and your in- 
sides w^ould clasp hands, as mine do. 

With love to all, 

TIMOTHY. 

COALING BY NATIVES APPROVED 

Ponta Delgada, Azores, 

August 5, 1917. 
DEAR FAMILY: 

The last time I had liberty I took a long walk) out from 
the town where we stopped and saw something of the coun- 
try. The inhabitants were w^ell brought up and took off 
their hats as we passed. I took the w^alk with George Zie- 
mann, one of our chief petty officers, w^ho is from Oshkosh 
and of course knows the people I know. The w^alk was ex- 
tremely interesting, but we went too far and had to hit up a 
stiff pace to get back to the ship on time. That was four 
days ago, and my shoes are lame yet. The shoes will soon 
be forgotten but I shall always remember the walk. 

The last two places we have called have been made 
pleasant by the fact that the coaling has been done by local 
talent. I am convinced that that is the best w^ay, for the 
natives are w^onderfully fast. Of course I do not sit around 
and watch them do it. There are always plenty of things 
that need to be done, and which ordinarily we do not have 
time to do. Cleaning the side w^as the latest one of these 
odd jobs. The cleaner stands on a guard rail at the w^ater 
line, four or five inches w^ide, reaches up to the deck with 
one hand and hangs on to the tiller rope, w^hile with the 
other hand he dips a sw^ab into a strong solution of cleaner 
and cleans the side of the dirt and the grease that has been 
accumulating for centuries. A companion quickly rinses 
off the solution so it won't take off the paint, too. This 
preparation takes the dirt off your hands even better than 
making bread does. 

I w^as surprised to notice the other day that, even though 
there w^as a fairly heavy sw^ell, I wasn't conscious of the mo- 
tion unless I paid particular attention to it. I suppose that 
means I am getting my sea legs. I hope so, for the walk 
convinced me that I had lost my land ones. Another thing 
I realized yesterday, for the first time, was how common- 
place things have become, w^hich a little while ago would 

[290] 



Life Aboard Ship— "Dear Family" Letters 



have seemed strange enough. For instance, as I was taking 
my afternoon nap on my favorite couch (an ammunition 
chest on the port side of the fo' castle) I was awakened by 
a shout from the lookout, and peering between the range 
finder and No. 5 gun, I saw, two points off the starboard 
bow — (deleted by censor). 

Doesn't that sound romantic? But it needs a good loud 
yell to wake me up. Just the same, there is a romance 
about the sea that has grown on me. 

I have not been disappointed about my anticipations on 
it. Of course there are bound to be times when I won't 
like it for a bit, but I am sure that after I am through here 
I will often be homesick for the feel of it. We have been 
lying near a good-sized English bark and I have got a lot 
of pleasure in trying to puzzle out her rigging as well as I 
could. I would surely like to make a voyage in her and see 
if the romance of sails stacks up as well as the romance of 
the sea has done. 

With love, 

TIMOTHY. 

PREFERRED TO ENLIST AS "GOB." 

Ponta Delgada, Azores, 
August 11, 1917. 
DEAR FAMILY: 

I will start another letter without any idea of when you 
will get it, and add to it from time to time until I get an op- 
portunity to post it. I last wrote and mailed a long letter 
covering about three weeks' time, a couple of days ago, 
which I hope reaches you safely. 

Things are still going well with me. We are somewhat 
shut off from news, even war news, and I wonder a lot what 
is going on. Of course, things that occur in our own little 
district filter down to the crew with many modifications on 
the way. Information of this character — rumors from the 
wardroom, etc. — are tales brought from shore and are known 
as coming "straight from the scuttle butt." 

I saved a lot of papers to wrap things in, and now I am 
going over them again with the greatest attention to detail. 

Today I went over the list of people from the state who 
are at Ft. Sheridan and was surprised to see how many 1 
knew from the state at large. Before, I had read only the 
Milwaukee and Madison lists. My friends certainly came 
across in pretty good style. It tickles me when I think of 
them trying out at Ft. Sheridan and maybe not getting com- 

[291] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 




[292] 



Life Aboard Ship — "Dear Family" Letters 

missions, and anyway, having to wait a long time for an 
army to be raised, while I struck luck and am busy almost 
at once where I hope it is counting, and am getting my 
training as I go. I'll bet that in the long run I'll be of as 
much use this way as if I had held off for the more high- 
sounding job so many advised me to w^ait for. I am lucky 
in another way, and that is, being on a destroyer where 
there is a real fo' castle. On a battleship, of course, the 
crew's quarters are more or less all over the ship. Here w^e 
are all together just like in the books, and it is really a good 
deal of fun, and is surely an experience to be remembered. 
If the food is a little bit slow in coming dow^n, the more ex- 
uberant members gather around the ladder and yell swear 
words at the cook up through the hatch, while all the rest 
pound their plates with their knives, and howl like hyenas. 
It is also like a bear pit at the zoo. 

We have a funny little mess cook named Chisholm, aged 
I 7. He is just out of short pants. It is great to see him 
come down the ladder with dishes of food in both hands. 
He sits on one rung and shifts his feet, one at a time, to a 
rung lower than the one he is standing on, then slides his 
seat until he bumps on a new rung. He can come down 
pretty fast that w^ay, and as he hops down with both hands 
holding up dishes with a pleased smile on his face, he looks 
more like a performing dog than anybody has a right to. 

Many of the boys are getting their heads shaved. They 
look like small-town cut-ups, but in spite of that the epi- 
demic seems to be spreading. 

Today I had work of the kind that I like, — splicing and 
whipping lines and fixing up a wind screen for one of the 
lookout stations. It is fun to sit up high somewhere and 
swing your feet and fool with a nice piece of line. The 
trouble is that the work to be done is nearly always just to 
lee of a smoke-stack and the Black Gang usually seize the 
opportunity to work up a smoke screen or blow a tube. 

I hope father is missing hay fever this year. I haven't 
had any yet, but it may be a little early! 

As ever, TIMOTHY. 
« « « 

SALARY RAISED $2 A MONTH. 

Ponta Delgada, Azores, 

August 12, 1917. 
DEAR FAMILY: 

I will write just a line and get it off as soon as I can in 
the hope that it will catch a mail which I expect will go 
home. A ship came today bringing letters. 

[293] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 



Yes, I am a seaman now. No, it doesn't bring any no- 
ticeable change in duties. On these little boats we are 
all more or less utility men. The only difference that I 
know of is an increase of $2 per month in, pay, and we 
haven't been near a paymaster since I was rated! I ap- 
preciate the promotion, though, as a certificate that my 
work haa been cared for satisfactorily. 

With love, TIMOTHY. 

GETTING OVER SEA-SICKNESS. 

Ponta Delgada, Azores, 

August 15, 1917. 
DEAR FAMILY: 

My interest still keeps up and I see new and interesting 
things every day. I have seen a good many armed mer- 
chantmen of various nationalities, and notice that they have 
their flagstaffs very far forward so as not to interfere with 
the fire of their stern-chasers. It looks queer at first to see 
the colors any place except the stern. Most of these ships 
carry pretty good sized guns and look quite adequately 
protected, assuming that they are able to see the submarine 
at all. 

I have not been sick in the crow's nest or anywhere 
lately, nor have they dug up new jobs to make me ache 
in new places, so I guess I am getting broken in. There is 
a little too much water coming in through the port, so I will 
have to secure things and go on deck and write some more 

With love, TIMOTHY. 

HOW WE ACTED AT SEA. 

Ponta Delgada, Azores, 

Sunday, August 18, 1917. 
DEAR FAMILY: 

I have not had much time for writing the last few days, 
not because there has been nothing to say, but because 
work has taken up even more time than usual. As we get 
further into the war, things tighten up somewhat, and lately 
w^e have had to work Saturday afternoons and Sundays the 
same as the other days in order to keep the old boat w^here 
she belongs. Every time w^e go into port there is a lot of 
coaling to be done and little things to be fixed up. 

As soon as the coaling is over, cleaning ship, scrubbing 
the sides, and sometimes painting is necessary, and we are 
on the go now to such an extent that we have to put in our 

[294] 



Life Aboard Ship — "Dear Family" Letters 

spare time as well as our regular working hours^ in order 
to get finished by the time we have to get out again. Often 
we move at short notice with the work half finished, and 
have a rush to get things stowed and secured for sea by 
the time we get outside. There is always a little thrill 
about going out unexpectedly. Of course in the crew we 
don't know anything, and that makes it more exciting when 
we hear the cry, "All hands — get under way!** Sometimes 
it comes in the night; then the petty officer of the watch 
comes down the ladder with a flashlight and shakes each 
man. We dress in the dark (those who have removed their 
clothing or parts of it), then get on deck, where there is 
always a little light from the sky, swing in the boats that 
are trailing astern while we are in port, secure all loose ob- 
jects around the deck, then all up on the fo'c*s*le to assist 
in the ceremony of hoisting anchor and getting it aboard. 
By that time the "black gang" (firemen and machinists) 
have the engines turning over, and out we go. Our tur- 
bines run so smoothly, and I am so interested that usually 
the first I know^ of our being under way is when we leave 
the harbor and meet the swell of the open sea. As soon 
as the anchor is secured, those who have the watch as look- 
outs are posted, and the rest after the odds and ends are 
cared for turn into their bunks again. 

The first couple of times we had alarms I w^as pretty 
wakeful after getting under w^ay, but now^ I can go back to 
sleep quickly and be glad of the chance. Those w^ho have 
the watch go to various points on the ship — in the crow^'a 
nest, if it is getting light; the bridge, out on th^ fo'c's'le if 
the seas are not coming over; and keep a sharp w^atch for 
anything at all which may appear on the water. Turtles, 
porpoises, bits of driftwood, oil, etc., are all reported as well 
as sails and lights. The moon first appearing, is nearly al- 
ways reported as a light by some alert lookout. Subma- 
rines are apt to be most any place these days, and it would 
be foolish not to take every precaution, not so much for our 
own safety, but in order to get the sub before she can 
submerge. 

Sometimes we see something that looks like a periscope, 
and then there is more fun. The men go to quarters and 
the ship goes at it. It tickles me the way we don't try 
to sneak by, but go to anything that looks like trouble. Of 
course that is our job, and it is a good job. When the 
object turns out to be a bit of wreckage or other harmless 
thing, there is a curious feeling of mingled relief and dia- 

[295] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

appointment. By relief I don't mean relief from being 
keyed up. I don't believe any of us have anything but 
regret at losing out on a chance to improve our batting eyes. 

In the place where we now are, they have the best little 
cakes (especially the cocoanut w^ith pastry rims), and when 
I get a chance to go ashore, which is something that doesn't 
happen often to a deck-hand, I eat myself full at a place 
conveniently situated so I can see the harbor. Bum-boats 
also come alongside with most of the fruits I would get at 
this season at home — melons, pineapples, plums, grapes, 
and others that I am not used to, and they all taste good, 
and so far nothing has poisoned me. 

My friend "Nick" Carter, who was with me on the Irene, 
is still with us. He is a mighty man with the swab and is 
aWays cleaning up the place, of his ow^n motion, and al- 
ways with the sw^ab, and always in good humor. I know^ if 
we are boarded by the Germans he will make for the 
swabs instead of the cutlasses, of which we have a liberal 
supply, and the gunner's gang has to polish them. I feel 
that this duty will finally devolve upon the deck force. Still, 
it is more like a book to be shining a cutlass than a stanch- 
ion. Hines, one of our seamen, says to shine stanchions 
is against regulations, because the w^ear of the emery paper 
weakens the "structure" of the ship. Still, we do it. Some 
folks think the Dungaree Navy is not very regulation. I 
sometimes think so myself. 

With love, TIMOTHY. 

ADVENTURE IN A ROYAL GARDEN. 

Ponta Delgada, Azores, 

September 3, 1917. 
DEAR FAMILY: 

I got this note paper ashore in a box with the name 
"Roosevelt" on it. The Americans seem to be in favor 
here, and I believe Teddy stopped on his w^ay home from 
the land where no lion did his duty. A fort and hill are 
named after him, which seems to be more than fell to Mr. 
Christopher Columbus when he visited an island hard by. 

I am still having a great time. Yesterday I made a lib- 
erty with Battey for a few hours in the afternoon. We had 
a pretty good supper in a restaurant, the change of cooking 
bracing us both up considerably. After that w^e took a w^alk 
and came to a place w^ith a high w^all and a gate. It looked 
like a park inside (the people here are noted for their villas 
and gardens), but an old gentlemen in livery would not let 

[296] 



Life Aboard Ship — "Dear Family" Letters 

us in. The wall stood in the way. Battey was in the news- 
paper game on the outside, and his training encourages him 
to butt in as a matter of business or out of curiosity. Mine 
as a lawyer make me remember the rights of property and 
the law of trespass, but when he scaled the w^all I couldn't 
let him go alone, so I hopped over too. We got into a much 
prettier part that way and walked down a fine drive to the 
gate, but when the old man saw^ us he was crazy with rage, 
and came running up and grabbed us each by the elbow, 
and started us up toward a pink palace. When we got there 
he rang a bell and told the maid all about us. She went 
and brought a good-looking, well-kept gent w^hom I whis- 
pered to Battey we had better show^ respect. Evidently the 
owner of the villa had been called away from his supper, for 
he hr.d a napkin tucked under his chin; he said a few things 
to the \vatchr.aan and waved us out. The keeper jabbered 
all the way to the gate, evidently playing for a tip by telling 
us w^hat a narrow escape we had had, and w^e jabbered 
back. We could not understand a w^ord he was saying, and 
he fared little better. We thanked him for showing us the 
place and introducing us to his boss, and passing him a 
European penny w^ith a hole in it, came aw^ay. When we 
got down the hill to the tow^n we bought postcards and asked 
the proprietor of the Cafe Cosmopolita where w^e had been. 
Our friend said we had visited the estate of the Marquis 
Joaquim Correa, which was the erstw^hile stopping place of 
an old king of Portugal. I bet the king w^ould have laughed 
to see us. Battey is well over six feet, built like a pair of 
new^spaper shears, and the gate-keeper was shorter than 
I am. 

Still no mail. We expect some daily, but I am afraid we 
won't be in port when it comes. We have had two mails 
since leaving the states. A couple of ships came in today, 
but they were not "ours". 

Many happy birthdays, mother! Wish I could be w^ith 
you to celebrate. 

With lots of love, 

TIMOTHY. 
« « » 

GREAT FUN PAINTING COMPARTMENT 

Ponta Delgada, Azores, 

September II, 1917. 

DEAR FAMILY: 

I w^rite this on my lap till the mess cook finishes cleaning 
the table. I've been pretty busy lately, for besides the reg- 

[297] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

ular daily work I have been working some on the study of 
navigation, as I had already written you, and a week ago our 
Chief Boatswain's Mate, ("Stump"), told me he had rec- 
ommended me for coxswain, the next step after seaman. He 
broke the news in the classic phrase that he was "pitting 
me up for a crow," — the crow^ meaning the eagle which is a 
prominent part of a petty officer's rating badge. I was 
immensely pleased and very much surprised, for, while I 
thought I was qualified for the rate of seaman when I got 
that, this new^ rate presupposes a knowledge of work be- 
longing purely to the navy, and I didn't think I knew any- 
thing about that. However, 1 studied up pretty hard so as 
not to fall down on the bo'sun, and w^hen the time came I 
took the examination and was told yesterday that I had passed 
creditably; so now, as soon as some kind of office paper is 
made out, I will be a petty officer of the lowest grade and 
w^ill have to acquire an authoritative manner. I knov/ you 
will not be as surprised as I w^as at the promotion, and Aunt 
Millie and Uncle Frank will think 1 should be admiral by 
now, but I will be more pleased than any of you can be 
so as to make up. 

Life grows more pleasant all the time. The last time we 
were at sea we discovered some w^hales, — tw^o, loafing along 
on the surface, and amused ourselves by trying to sneak 
up on them, as we were not in any hurry. Twice we got 
so close that I thought surely w^e w^ould hit them. We leaned 
over the side and could look right down into their nostrils, 
or spout hole, or w^hatever it is, and the surf w^ould wash 
upon their backs, and all of a sudden they would notice we 
w^ere there and w^ould hump up their backs and disappear 
right under our cut water. It was a long time before they 
got scared or tired of us. It w^as a most interesting ex- 
perience for us. If I had had a brick to throw I could have 
got one for you to put in a tub in the yard. There I go 
talking like a landsman again! "Irish confetti" is the proper 
name on our ship for bricks! 

For the last two days I have been painting our compart- 
ment and the w^ash room. It is a mean job, especially the 
overhead, in betw^een the pipes and w^ires and deck beams, 
and the paint runs off the brush and down your arm; but 
there is something sociable about slapping on the paint w^ith 
a bunch of fellows, and it was pretty good fun. Afterwards 
we had the phonograph on deck, and sat around on boat 
cradles and buckets, with the phonograph in the center on a 
keg of sea stores, and we heard all the latest music of last 

[298] 



Life Aboard Ship— "Dear Family" Letters 



year. Somebody has named the phonograph the "Agony 
Box," but we would not be without it for all that. After 
the music I had an anchor watch, and after that a bath in 
my pail, and washed some clothes and turned in at mid- 
night, with nothing to do till the morrow, and a fine night 
for sleep. 

We are still without mail and have no idea when any will 
reach us, or whether the department has forgotten where 
we are. All of us are anxious to hear from home, and the 
speculation on when the mail will come takes up almost as 
much time as discussion of things we have eaten or expect 
to eat when we get back home. Beer, properly cool, seems 
to get the most votes, but ice is scarce when you get away 
from the states. Having lived a while as a struggling lawyer 
in Milwaukee, I am considered somewhat of an authority on 
this subject. Alas! the poor sailor can't get beer at all now 
at home, and this reconciles many to an extended cruise. 

With love, 

TIMOTHY. 

"JENNIE" DRAWS THE COLOR LINE 

Brest, France, 
February 10, 1918. 

DEAR FAMILY: 

We got in yesterday after an unusually pleasant trip. We 
had a little rain the first day, but except for that the trip 
was a rest for us. Part of thei time we ran close to the 
beach, and as there was a heavy ground swell, we saw some 
wonderful surf, but we wouldn't care to go swimming off 
some of the rocks we saw the waves breaking over. 

In the afternoon after we arrived I made a liberty, and 
of course the first thing I did was to go around to one of 
the restaurants for something to eat. I was late for dinner, 
but "Jennie" (the French girl who keeps the place) said 
she could cook some "uffg" (eggs) and coffee, and as I 
was the only customer, we had a great visit. "Jennie" knows 
all my shipmates and the place is a regular hang-out for 
them. She wanted to know when the batteau came in, and 
when I told her she said she guessed she would be rushed 
that night. 

"Jennie" is fast learning to draw the color line, which is 
very necessary if she wants to keep a select trade. It is 
also based on her own feelings, apparently, because while 
I was eating she confided, "You know, sir, that one Ameri- 
cain neggo came here and ate eggs and did not want to pay 

[299] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 



for them?" I asked her if she finally made him pay, and 
she replied, **No; I just said, *If you do not want to pay, 
pfease go out and never come back. I do not want to see 
you again. I do not like neggoes.' And he does not come 
back. He was very mad and I was much pleasure." While 
I was there several burly blacks applied for sustenance, but 
she blocked their entrance in a manner that made me un- 
derstand Verdun. After I had eaten enough to last me un- 
til supper, 1 hunted up a barber shop and got a very good 
shave from the man in charge; a man-boy, I might say, be- 
cause he was only 1 5 and still in short trousers. 

After buying a picture show^ing the deportations from 
Lille (buying it out of a window filled with gay bottles of 
Vin Rouge), and then promenading a bit, hunger began 
tugging at my vitals again, and I went to the cafe brightened 
by the presence of "Germaine." There I had steak and eggs 
and much conversation. Next I went to the Y. M. C. A. and 
had a row with the lily-fingered "canteen lizard" behind the 
counter over the prices he was charging me for some stuff, 
said prices being in excess of the ones in the advertisement 
he referred me to. After he had hollered enough, I went out 
and invested in a large bag of peanuts (the French call them 
cackowets, or something like that), took them to the caba- 
ret near the dock and handed them around the audience 
generally, including the proprietor of the place, the bar- 
maid and some of the fellows from our ship. At 9 I re- 
turned to our batteau; the quartermaster felt of my blouse, 
but he passed me when I told him I had only a few peanuts 
in a large bag. You can certainly have a big liberty here 
on a few francs, simply by wandering around and talking to 
people. 

The French dictionary reached me safely and is a great 
help. I looked it over thoroughly while at sea, and one of 
the first things 1 noticed was the sentence, "Do you love 
me?" A gob who v*ras peeking over my shoulder asked 
how to say "Give me a kiss." Now, I was surprised at this 
gob, for he is a perfectly law^-abiding individual, — one w^hom 
the French refer to as "serieux" — but I w^ent ahead and 
looked as he took out his pencil and an envelope. Believe 
me, it was not there, so hadn't you better send me a dif- 
ferent kind of book? Perhaps I should write Mr. Funk, Mr. 
Wagnalls and Mr. Vizetelly about this! 

I see they have published news of the sinking of the Tus- 
cania in the Paris papers, so I suppose they have also at 
home. I hope no one we knew was lost on her. It isn't the 

[300] 



Life Aboard Ship — "Dear Family" Letters 



soldier's game to be drowned, although it is all right in a 
way for the sailors. This event ought to have the effect 
of making the Americans mad, so that all will want to come 
over to get even. 

Today is Sunday and we are lucky in being in harbor that 
all can attend church. Just think — no coaling to do and 
little of any kind of work except mending and writing letters 
home I Some of the fellows say they believe President Wil- 
son's stand against Sunday w^ork is a good one, and they wish 
he w^ould consider the other days in the week. This outfit 
is not perfect, but it happens to be the only one we have, 
and I like it. 1 w^ould not advise anybody to choose it rather 
than the army because he might not be able to stand our 
special kind of grief at all, but if one likes sea lore he can 
get it on one of the gadgets, and I think it is the very place 
for m.e. 

With love to everybody, 

TIMOTHY. 

TRYING TO SPEAK FRENCH 

Brest, France, 

March 18. 1918. 
DEAR FAMILY: 

Having reached port in safety, tied up, taken a very en- 
joyable bath in my bucket and helped to get a coal lighter 
alongside, I still have a part of the evening left to write 
you. I have much more time than news, although that is 
the fault of the censor, and if I do not tell all I know, at least 
you may comfort yourself by reflecting that the Kaiser is 
going to be left just as much in the dark as you are, and 
that it all goes to help w^in the w^ar, along with raising pigs 
and saving cigarette stubs and putting on overcoats instead 
of more coal. 

I was in great hopes of finding mail waiting for me 
today but had no luck. I am beginning to expect the box 
of phonograph records you sent by express, as this is about 
the length of time it took the other box to come. I am look- 
ing for the tin box that Mother said she sent some time ago. 

We just had a very nice run and the ocean looked like 
Fourth Lake again, although it does not always do so. Weath- 
er is very much more pleasant in the spring than the winter, 
and there is quite apt to be a friendly sparkle in the water 
and warm sun on the back of your neck, instead of the solid 
gray sea and sky for weeks at a time. Even when it is 
rough the ocean does not seem to be as forbidding as it was 

[301] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destuoyer 

a couple of months ago. I read in one of the last Literary 
Digests that you sent a letter from some one who evidently 
belonged to the forces we have been w^orking with, as it 
dealt w^ith a storm that we were in, and they ended up in 
about the same locality that we did, w^hen the w^eather clear- 
ed. That was a regular blow, and the ocean did not remind 
me of anything we have around home at all. I w^rote you 
about being washed overboard at the time, and I got a good 
idea of the power of water in other ways, too. For instance, 
a wave came and sat dow^n in our w^herry and when the 
w^ater w^ent away, the wherry did also, all except stem, stern 
board and strip of the gunwale, while another small boat 
was reduced to a lot of loose luniber but stayed with us. 
Every ship that w^as in it had quite a lot of repairs to make, 
but some way destroyers seem to be pretty tough and noth- 
ing really happens to them. This time at sea I got a chance 
to read part of "Pincher Martin," w^hich I received on my 
birthday, and w^as much interested in it, although I did not 
consider the story a masterpiece. To tell the truth, I think 
that people who are not familiar with life on destroyers would 
appreciate it a good deal more than I did, for although the 
story is very accurate as to life on board, reading about 
that is not as much fun as living it. The conversation of 
the various sailors, judging by the examples given, is very 
different from that of our boys, both in manner and matter. 
It is a trick to produce conversation so it sounds life-like. 
For sailors, it seems to me that Connolly, who writes the 
stories about the Gloucester fisherman, does it about as well 
as anybody, at least in his earlier writings. 

The substitutions that have grow^n up in the navy for reg- 
ulation terms are peculiar, and some of them are pretty apt. 
Others don't seem to have any reason for them at all. As 
you know, every sailor is a "gob." If he is to be distinguish- 
ed from a marine, w^ho is a "leatherneck," he is called a 
**flat-foot." Reason unknow^n to me. A coal-passer is a 
"heave" and one w^ho has worked up in that line to be a 
first-class fireman or a w^atertender is an "educated heave." 
Anybody in authority is "the man." A further designation 
is made in references to commissioned officers. They are 
the men with the shiny shoes. A warrant officer is known 
as a "bolo man." This, I understand, dates back to the 
Spanish-American war, for on state occasions the said officer 
used to carry a cutlass and that, of course, w^as called a 
bolo as soon as the sailors found out w^hat a bolo w^as. Nat- 
urally food comes in for many nicknames, but they are 

[302] 



Life Aboard Ship — "Dear Family" Letters 

neither very nautical nor very permanent. "Sea-dust" for 
salt is about as typical as any. Various ratings and occu- 
pations have time-honored titles. A master-at-arms is a 
"Jimmy-legs." Maybe your recruiting officer at Madison 
can tell you why. I can't. A seaman who is detailed to is- 
sue provisions from the commissary hold is "Jack-of-the- 
Dust." A carpenter's mate is "Chips," and is seldom called 
by his ow^n name. "Radio" or "Sparks" will get a radio 
operator. Destroyers are the "black boats." They w^ere 
painted black in peace times. If you are in that branch of 
the service you are in the "Dungaree Navy," because at 
w^ork w^e all w^ear dungaree suits made of overall material 
instead of the regulation outfits of whites or blues that are 
compulsory in the regular navy. 

I noticed that many of the terms we use are used in 
"Pincher Martin," or modifications of them; and the tradi- 
tional reasons given for such appellations are the same, thus 
show^ing that our service has had a growth practically par- 
allel to that of the British Navy, although I suspect the en- 
listed men would deny all similarity. 

This war is apt to bring in a lot of new terms. Our lan- 
guage across the w^ater is undergoing a very extensive re- 
modeling, as I have said before. Everybody uses the most 
outrageous hash of mispronounced English, French, Span- 
ish and Portuguese tongues that you ever heard, and new 
effects in verbal camouflage are desperately striven after. 
When one of our liberty parties returns from the beach after 
talking near-French for a few hours and still thinking in 
that argot, it is most amusing. As far as I can see, it is an 
even break, too, for while none of us talk pure English any 
more, none of the inhabitants are talking pure French. Quite 
often a compromise is reached by the natives trying to learn 
some English noun, getting it wrong, and then the Ameri- 
cans taking up the French mispronunciation. For instance, 
'chicken" and "poulet" are no more. "Shicken" is the rec- 
ognized way of ordering, and the slang meaning of chicken 
also seems to have filled a long-felt want in the French vo- 
cabulary. When we first got here the French were suffer- 
ing from English influence and w^ere saying "Compree?" for 
"Do you understand?" and "Comprenez-vous?" (I think 
that is correct.) Now they say mostly "You savvy?" which 
our boys brought with them from Vera Cruz and Tampico, 
although "savez" is good enough French, as well as Span- 
ish, but not the way it is pressed into every sort of duty. 
As you are not here to profit by the instruction, I guess you 

[303] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

will find all this lesson in war-vocabulary pretty tiresome, so 
I will close. 

I hope you are all well. I am still feeling fine. After 
coaling ship tomorrow 1 shall feel still better, provided the 
day is nice. Lots of love, 

TIMOTHY. 

ENCOUNTER WITH A SUBMARINE. 

Brest, France, 

March 26, 1918. 
DEAR FAMILY: 

The papers say the Germans have at last started their 
spring offensive and are running a side-show^ to boot by 
shooting at Paris w^ith a gun that carries 75 miles. You 
are reading all about that now at home and of course are 
getting a lot more information about it than we are. I hope 
the offensive w^ill be over soon, w^ith good, big losses for the 
Germans and not too many for us. I w^onder if the Amer- 
icans will be shifted over to help out. It must be quite 
an anxious time at home until we know just how things are 
coming along. 

I am going to tell you about a little fun we had the other 
day. We had been pretty w^ell out to sea and were look- 
ing for land on the w^ay home and w^ondering if we w^ould be 
in time for liberty. It was going on tow^ard noon and the 
watch w^as being relieved. The fellow who was to relieve me 
w^as just as slow as ever, so 1 w^as still on deck w^hen the of- 
cer of the deck leaned over the railing of the bridge and told 
me to have the fo'c's'le gun manned. I started down to the 
main deck, passing the word to the boatsw^ain of the w^atch, 
and hollered the order dow^n the fo'c's'le hatch, and then got 
the little board I use in the talker job, and went up to my 
battle station on the bridge. From there I could see the 
officers all looking out over the water in the direction w^e 
w^ere going; and looking the same w^ay, I saw^ the smoke of 
a steamer on the horizon, and between us a low shape in the 
water w^hich I knew to be a submarine. She w^as several 
miles off, but her conning tow^er and w^ireless masts show^ed 
plainly. In the meantime, the general alarm bells had been 
turned on and the word passed to the engine room and the 
fire room that we w^ould w^ant lots of steam; and I was pretty 
busy taking the reports from the different guns as they w^ere 
made ready for action, and testing out the voice tubes to 
make sure that whatever orders I might have to pass would 
V>e clearly heard. Naturally I could not keep my eyes on 

[304] 




NOT AS FIERCE AS HE LOOKS 
Albert S. Denning, coppersmith, was one of the high- 
est-paid pett7 officers in the Dungaree Navy. He lived 
in the forecastle and he kept it lively. 

[305] 




SEAMAN, MESS COOK, Q'T'RMASTER, ARTIST 

Sergius J. Becker, of New Orleans, who drew clever 
book sketches, and who left to accompany Admiral 
Mayo's party on its missions to the capitals of Europe. 




HE LEFT US TO FOLLOW "RED MIKE" 
Lieut. Henry Rawle, who became executive officer of 
the Preston under Capt. Magruder; in civilian life a 
manufacturer, he corrupted our wardroom with cellu- 
loid collars. 






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"YOUR TWO AND RAISE YOU TWO!" 
A quiet little game like the ones Mr. Osgood, the alert 
executive officer, used to raid when the crew's mess 
needed the money. 




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THIS IS NOT AN ESKIMO— 
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WHICH IS WHICH? 
Homer Evans, oiler, is caught in bad company on the 
coal dock at Brest (being of Irish descent himself) and 
is warned to stay aboard. ^ 




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HERE'S YOUR LINK, MR. DARWIN! 

Two of our galley aristocrats in a protective coloration 
and personal adornment scheme that suggests the evolu- 
tionary course of gold braid. "New Navy" men, do not 
smile ! 




RANGE, 3,500 YARDS; COMMENCE FIRING! 

Capt. Davidson is here seen manning his favorite wea- 
pon, the sextant, with which he used to shoot the sun 
and the horizon full of holes. 




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Life Aboard Ship — "Dear Family" Letters 

the submarine all the time, and it took advantage of my du- 
ties elsewhere to fold up its wireless apparatus. When I 
got another chance to take a peek, it w^as starting to sub- 
merge. Our captain did not think it worth while to try a 
shot at the thing at the range we would have to use, and it 
went under, although all of us "concentrated" to hold it up. 
I w^as awfully disappointed, for I had hoped that perhaps we 
had found one in some kind of difficulty so it would have 
to stay on the surface and maybe put up a fight before we 
took it. When it w^ent under w^e estimated the distance it 
w^as aw^ay and then made for that spot at high speed, tim- 
ing ourselves, and a little before we reached w^hat w^e judged 
was the proper place, w^e dropped one of our "ash-cans" 
(depth charges), which exploded with a most satisfying 
shock and a kind of thud and sent up a lot of water. The 
depth charges sound just about like dynamiting fish at home, 
or it used to, on calm Sundays w^hen the game w^ardens w^ere 
away, getting out the vote. A couple of minutes later w^e 
ran through the oil slick w^hich floated on the spot where the 
submarine had submerged, and we dr/jpped another mine 
there, then cruised around and dropped two others in locali- 
ties that appeared good; and soon another ship (a yacht) 
came up at full speed on getting the good new^s from our 
signal, and she added a "can" of her own. Much to our 
disgust, we didn't see any of the oil and wreckage that all 
the stories mention. Evidently "Fritz" forgot to cough out 
any through his torpedo tubes! After some running around 
in circles, we came on home, arriving several hours later. 
We found that our wireless had had a wide circulation, for as 
we came by the other boats in the harbor their men hung 
over the rails and hollered, "Did you get her?" to which 
w^e replied, "Sure!" 

I couldn't see much justification for that reply, but I made 
it as often as anybody. We were all a little disappointed, 
for w^e wanted that sub for a pet most aw^fully, and it w^as 
hard to go away and leave it w^ithout being sure it was "fee- 
nesh." As we were about to secure from quarters and I 
was leaving the bridge, I heard our captain say to the other 
officers, "Well, anyway, I w^ant you all to take notice that it 
was the 'Old Man' w^ho found her for you!" None of them 
disputed the claim, so I guess it w^as the skipper who flushed 
our first real sub. 

After we were tied up and cleaning up from our trip we 
had great disputes as to w^hether we got her or not, and 
everybody felt good and sw^ore that our ship w^as a "home.* 

[321] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

Then the boys started to brush up their blues for liberty — 
those who rated it — and to make plans for the evening. I 
thought I would stay aboard and see if the mail orderly 
would bring anything off the beach for mie, but I had lots 
of fun listening to the songs and laughter, for by this time 
the boys had convinced themselves that "Fritz" w^as surely 
destroyed, and were planning to try a raid on the Kiel Canal 
the next time out. One boy who was restricted to the ship 
for a breach of discipline w^as even allowed to go along w^ith 
the crowd w^hen he told the executive officer that he wanted 
to break the new^s of the submarine to his girl. When the 
party returned from ashore at 9 o'clock they were still in 
high spirits, and the story had grow^n: An aeroplane had 
seen the U-boat lying in pieces on the bottom of tjie ocean. 
The crew of the Reid wasn't allowed to pay for a drink any- 
where in town that night, and everybody accepted our 
version, except the crew of an envious destroyer w^hich 
beats off a porpoise attack every few weeks. 

Well, the story properly ends here, and the affair was fun 
while it lasted, but since then we have received information 
w^hich makes it appear that w^e shook up all the little von 
Tirpitzes in the time of their lives. The official report says 
**Pen-March-Pete" (for such w^as his nickname) has been 
badly damaged (undoubtedly by us) and that he has put 
into a neutral port for repairs. 

I understand the families at home are all worrying about 
the ocean trip their boys have to make to get here. That 
is the thing that bothers the boys, too — all of them. It 
seems funny to us, because w^e know^ how we have to work 
to see a submarine at all — one U-boat for sure in nearly 
eight months in the barred zones — but the doughboys can 
tell of many attacks on the way over. Attacks of nerves, 
I guess, induced by being on strange ships and seeing fish 
kicking up phosphorus in the water, and other things we 
are used to. When summer comes and it thunders, they 
will think they are shelled as well as fired at with torpedoes. 
They feel fine when they get on land, though, and act as if 
all their troubles were gone; and sometimes they hang over 
the railings of their transports in the harbor, before they 
have disembarked, and cheer us as w^e pass them on the way 
out. We know^ they will be heard from at the front when 
they get the w^ord. 

This letter is much too long. Poor family! Poor cen- 
sor I Love to all, 

TIMOTHY. 

[322] 




Standing by the Wing Locker 

(From the Journal of a Landsman, with special refer- 
ence to some features of the Azores-Queenstown storm of 
Oct. 9-13, 1917.) 

E HAVE the speed, the cans, the gunners — the 
"ambish and the ammunish," as Rosy, our Italian 
gunner, put it — if only they don't see us first and 
plug us from dead on broadside! I was wrapped in 
this sort of thought when I heard a lookout call to the bridge, 
where our officers were busy peeking at the horizon through 
glasses long and short: 

'•Sail, ho!" 

"Where away?" 

"Three points on starboard bow, sir. Looks like a peri- 
scope." 

A stiff breeze was blowing out of the southwest, cooler 
now than it had been since we set out, and our heavy coats 
felt unusually comfortable as we scampered up the ladder 
of the seamen's compartment to the deck. The sea was 
a trifle more turbulent, bathing our forecastle now and then 
in a beautiful white spray which skipped across from side 
to side and was picked up and whisked against the chart 
house by the wind. On our port beam was a purple glow 
which lent a peculiar radiance to that section of an other- 
wise uninteresting horizon, while off in the direction indi- 
cated by the lookout, between two and three miles, a heavy 
fog was gathering fast. 

"I can't see anything," declared "Port-hole Johnny," our 
alert chief quartermaster, straining his minky black eyes 
through a pair of binoculars. 

"Nor I," returned our watch officer, who had hopped 
across the bridge from the port side. 

"Must be another case of periscopitis," suggested our en- 
gineer officer as he dropped his glasses to his side. 

[323] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

Our captain alone seemed to be hopeful of making out 
something, for he held his glasses to his eyes and swept 
them back and forth through a 45-degree arc. 

"Hold on," he said. "Seems like 1 see a small object 
out there in the fog. Train your glasses again." 

All obeyed the order promptly and eagerly. 

**1 see it now," cried several in chorus, and the skipper 
shouted to our salty little helmsman to cut her nose two and 
a half points to starboard, and then he signalled the engine 
room to give us 25 knots. The steering engine hissed and 
rattled as the helmsman put her over, the ship's sides creak- 
ed ominously, and her vitals groaned as our veteran chief 
machinist's mate shot the extra steam into the cylinder 
heads and cut in the blowers on the boilers to make steam 
all the faster. Our hardw^orking heaves grabbed their shov- 
els and began feeding in great masses of coal, heavy black 
smoke rolled out of the four smoke stacks and our pro- 
pellers whipped the water into angry wavelets that bubbled 
and boiled like a giant's w^ash pot, then gradually settled in 
our wake, a silken cord of gray. Our razor-edge bow cut 
a fine slit through the sea, sending an occasional w^ave top 
sw^eeping across the forecastle, and it was thrilling in the 
extreme to feel the ship's tremendous power under our feet 
and in the very air as we manipulated the devices w^hich had 
held it subdued. We were traveling tw^ice as fast as a hay- 
burning locomotive on its w^ay to a North Georgia moun- 
tain resort? and 1 could not help but w^onder w^hat would 
happen if by any chance we should ram a w^hale. Cer- 
tainly we w^ould get oil on the water, and perhaps give up 
some w^reckage, too. 

Now^ we heard the general quarters bell clanging, and 
each Jack Tar scrambled to his regular post. The guns 
were all manned and the ammunition rushed up from the 
boxes. Our gunner's mates climbed to the tops of the twin 
torpedo tubes and perched on their high seats like jockeys 
ready for a race of geldings. 

[324] 



Standing by the Wing Locker 



"Range, 2,000 yards!" shouted our executive officer at a 
guess, forgetting all about the range finder. "Train on 
target half a point on starboard bow." The order was re- 
peated through the tubes to all the guns which could be 
brought to bear, and the men got on their tip-toes quick. 

"Tell Ducky to stand by the mines!" ordered our execu- 
tive officer, snatching a pair of glasses from a quartermaster 
and sighting the object again. Ducky was the ranking 
member in our firm of chief gunner's mates. We called 
him Ducky because of his legs, and he was one of the best 
men in the game, and had also done some diving in his 
younger days. Ducky always stayed within earshot of our 
executive officer, so he made off as fast as his legs would 
carry him. 

"Train the starboard machine gun on the object and be- 
gin firing," was the next order. Our machine gunner ram- 
med in a clip of cartridges and peeked through the sight. 
He could see a dark, slender object sticking three or four 
feet above the surface, and he became so excited that he 
forgot to cock the gun. The bunch on the bridge began 
to squirm as the machine gun man pulled hard on the trig- 
ger, but failed to get results. The target appeared to be 
leaping at us now. 

"Fire!" yelled our executive officer, hoping to smash a 
periscope at the first shot. 

"The damn thing won't work!" declared the gunner, fum- 
bling about the breech lock. 

A seaman stepped up and announced that she had jam- 
med. The bridge bunch tore their hair at this juncture. 
You couldn't blame them. The suspense was awful. We 
either wanted to shoot at the thing or get shot quick. 
Closer and closer we sped, and must dash by in a minute or 
two and maybe^ get a torpedo smack in the ribs. 

"Fire the forecastle gun!" interposed our captain. 

"Bang!" went the forecastle rifle with a roar that shook us 
up and made us all feel good. The shell hit the water 400 
yards beyond the target and went skipping out of sight. 

[325] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 



"Give her another!** 

**Bang!** and the second shot hit fifteen feet to the left 
and sent a slender column of water into the air. 

"Cease firing!" ordered our executive officer. "It*8 noth- 
ing but a spar.'* 

Several pairs of glasses were raised, and it was now seen 
that the object was floating as if it were water-logged at 
the lower end, or carried a weight of some kind. "Keep 
away,'* warned the captain to our helmsman. "The durn 
thing might have a mine on it.** The helmsman cut her 
sharp to port and we could see the other destroyer racing 
toward us at top speed. Our lame duck of a convoy with 
the wooden gun seemed to be marking time. Then she cut 
zig-zag capers. 

As our stern passed the spar we felt a sudden shock of 
great force. The bow of the vessel dipped low and the fan- 
tail went up in the air correspondingly. We held on to the 
nearest objects and peeked over the sides, looking aft, and 
could plainly see the propellers spinning like gyroscopes. 
Quite as quickly we settled down again and a mountainous 
deluge of water fell astern of us. 

"What was that?" asked our executive officer as he leaped 
across the bridge, upsetting the helmsman. 

"It was a can or I'm no sailor," declared a chief petty 
officer. 

Ducky came waddling forward at this point to explain 
that one of our mines had slipped overboard accidentally 
and had exploded too soon; said he hoped there would be 
no board of inquiry; nobody was hurt or to blame. Our 
officers held a short consultation and decided that a full re- 
port of the affair was the least that could be done, and then 
w^e got into our course again, and I w^alked across the deck 
to ask a seaman what our engineer officer meant by a case 
of periscopitis. 

"Haven't you heard of the new disease?" he asked, 
amazed at my ignorance. "That's what sailors have w^hen 
they think they see submarines. Everything looks like peri- 

[326] 



Standing by the Wing Locker 



scopes. One fellow has got it bad. You had better keep 
away from him." 

"Is it contagious?" I asked w^ith a trace of apprehension. 

"Not always; depends on the condition of your consti- 
tution," he replied. 

I pinched myself to see how^ my opsonic index was get- 
ting along. It seemed to be there all right, but I was not 
sure but what I would have the periscopitis before night. 
Sort of w^ished I could hitch onto a cloud, but felt it would 
be impossible with so many grim realities around me. 

Presently a seaman they called "The Bird" clambered up 
the ladder to the chart house and took his post beside us. 

"Where the hell you been, 'Bird?' " the other sailor in- 
quired. 

"Standin' by the w^ing locker — where you reckin?" he 
asked. 

"The Bird" used to be a baggageman on a well-known 
and popular railroad running out of Chicago and had trav- 
eled extensively as a land lubber. He w^as a small man of 
27, with heavy wrinkles in his face? due to playing solitaire 
and checkers late of nights; his eyes w^ere black and beady 
and close above them his dark hair grew out profusely, giv- 
ing him a fierce appearance that did not exactly comport 
with his reputation for humor of the finest and most spon- 
taneous kind. When he started a story or song he was in 
the habit of squinting sidewise at you and bending his body 
a trifle at the waist — like a modern Captain Kidd on the 
verge of shooting up a saloon on liberty, or skinning a frog 
alive. 

"I don't get you," returned the seaman, smiling broadly. 

"You been a seaman six months and don't know^ what the 
wing locker is?" inquired "The Bird." "Well, I'll tell you, 
Bubber. The wing locker is the place where you get your 
wings when a torpedo hits you. You put on the wings and 
fly away to the nearest land. Your uncle is captain of the 
wing locker; salute your captain!" 

"Fine, but how do you put them on — with wax, like the 

[327] 



70,000 M iles on a Submarine Destroyer 

wretched Daedalus, or simply with glue?" asked the other, 
w^ho w^as a college man. 

"That's the big secret. My own invention. Costs only 
ten dollars to learn, and is well worth the price. First time 
we get abandon ship drill you stand by the wing locker with 
me and help me keep the bunch in line." 

"The Bird" sprang away to report a cork floating on the 
port bow. He volunteered the information that it looked 
like a beer bottle cork, from which it might be inferred that 
Germans had passed in the neighborhood. The other look- 
out went into the chart house to borrow a piece of bees- 
wax to strengthen a string, and I was left to my own re- 
flections. My back was beginning to hurt from leaning 
against a protruding portion of the flag box, and I wondered 
if it wouldn't be possible to bring enough pressure on niy 
congressman to cause him to introduce a bill setting aside 
a sum of money to provide cushions for certain places where 
lookouts must lean or hang in order to detect submarines. 
It also seemed reasonable that seats of medium comfort 
should be provided, because it is no easy matter to stand 
four solid hours on aching feet> and besides, a man can see 
as far in a sitting posture as in an upright position. How- 
ever, Chips, our chief carpenter's mate, said it was easier 
to sleep sitting down, and I guess there's a good deal in that. 
Maybe that explains why the decks of destroyers are the only 
flat surfaces thereon. 

As I gazed toward the far-ofif horizon I thought of an- 
other thing. Why shouldn't sailors have decently deep 
pockets to keep their effects in? Maybe you say that after 
a reasonable time a sailor has no effects, but that is not lit- 
erally true. I know a lot of sailors that would like to carry 
a comb, a small looking glass and a pencil except that their 
three dress blues pockets measure only an inch square each. 
Why, lots of sailors have more gold and currency than they 
can carry in two pockets, and of course it is fair to allow 
the third — over the heart in the blouse — for a handkerchief. 

[328] 



Standing by the Wing Locker 



Personally, I carry my money, a nub of a pencil and a wad 
of note paper in one pocket of my trousers, a ditty box key, 
a small piece of soap and some twine in the second, and 
cram my handkerchief into the third. Occasionally I stick 
post cards and letters in my flat cap — peanuts, cheese and 
bananas in my blouse, but that is considered very bad form, 
especially when gold-stripers are around. Sailors are sub- 
jected to another grim obsession in respect to clothes, — 
trousers legs that contain several yards too much cloth in 
the cuffs and not enough in the waste (we mean waist). 
This extravagance was practiced when sheep and the entire 
world were crying for more wool, just to perpetuate an ab- 
surd old custom. One excuse commonly offered for loop- 
legged trousers is that the men can roll up the pants legs 
easily when making landing parties. Don't swallow that, 
people of intelligence! In the first place, landing parties 
for sailors are very infrequent; ask the men themselves. 
In the second place, no captain worthy of the name would 
send his men on a landing party dressed in liberty blues; if 
a scrap was due they would go in dungarees or whites, chop- 
ping their pants legs off at the knees if necessary. Should 
blues by any chance be used, the water would soak through 
them as through a sponge, and the weight of the water and 
the speed of the gob would pull the pants legs down around 
the shins. Then once on land the great pants legs would 
flap about so as to tangle him up and throw him often, with 
possibly serious injuries, so that all in all he would be about 
as fit to fight as a beturbaned, rheumatic old plantation 
washerwoman. 

There is another thing without rhyme — the flat cap. 
(The Blue Jackets' Manual calls the flat hat a cap and the 
white cap a hat; everything seems backward in this con- 
founded outfit, so we let it go at that!) The cap grommet 
makes the cap set on the head like a pie plate, and spreads 
it out like a sail so that every little gust of wind blows it off, 
and, since it is round, it goes skipping down the avenue 

1329] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

with the speed of a hoop. The gob goes chasing after it, 
and of course if officers or civilians are nearby in sensible 
attire that stays put, that is amusing. Finally we have the 
thirteen buttons in the front of the pants — ye gods! No. 
1 is Massachusetts and the other twelve doubtless stand for 
the remaining twelve original colonies, for which let us be 
proud of it and thankful there are not forty-eight! Other- 
w^ise we might be inclined to rip the garment slightly up the 
back. The rig serves at least one purpose — to make a sailor 
look like something foreign to land or sea. 

Rear-Admiral Ralph Elarle, chief of the Bureau of Ord- 
nance and a humorist beyond compare, started an interest- 
ing win-the-w^ar measure under date of March 25, 1918, 
consisting of an attempt to change the old tight-fitting blouse 
of officers by vote to a reefer similar to that worn by British 
officers and American chief petties. In a memorandum to 
the service. Admiral Earle admitted that it might be hard to 
understand how^ a campaign could appropriately be launched 
through the Ordnance Department, yet he had all the dope 
and would present it anyhow^ for the sake of efficiency. Un- 
doubtedly he drew his inspiration from the following verse 
written by C. McK. Lynch, Ensign, U. S. N. : 

TOO TIGHT TO FIGHT 

I've heard it swore in days of yore 
Men went to war "too tight to fight" 
With all their might. 

Of Gin and Beer w^e now steer clear, 
But to the blouse as to a spouse 
Cling year by year, — 
"Too tight to fight." 

Last w^eek I crossed the deep 

Too tight to eat or sleep; 

When two points to right 

I spied and tried to cry "A periscope!" 

Alas! my blouse, — I choke; 

We did not float! 

. . . To w^in the war we must have the coat! 

[330] 



Standing by the Wing Locker 



"As to the present blouse being distinctive," contin- 
ued Admiral Earle's unfeeling assault on the old order, 
"such an assertion is ridiculous. During the past sum- 
mer, Commander Castle spent a day in the Vickers 
Company Yards at Barrow in Furness, England. Twice 
during that one day were he and companion officers 
mistaken for Italian officers and once for Russian offi- 
cers. Being rather proud of our own service, they did 
not appreciate these mistakes. Again, the officer in 
charge of an inland ordnance plant has been taken for 
a hotel bell boy and never for a naval officer. How^ 
many of us have had w^raps offered us and received 
angry expressions when we did not take them or open 
the automobile door and so on in public places? No 
one has ever thus mistaken an English naval officer. 
The Fall River Line and other inland water lines copy 
our blouse and are more gorgeous than the Admiral 
himself. The deep sea merchantmen seldom wear a 
blouse. In a conversation of tw^o army officers recently 
overheard in the lobby of a theatre, the door-keeper of 
which wore a high, tight-fitting collar adorned with 
much gold braid, it was remarked that they had been 
much confused of late in their efforts to distinguish bell 
boys and porters from naval officers, but in this case 
felt more inclined to salute the door-keeper for one 
than a person in any uniform they had seen." 
Rear Admiral Henry B. Wilson was quoted as declaring 
the blouse "is an abomination and I cannot understand how^ 
any older individual who is obliged to wear it can stand by 
it," and Capt. W. W. Phelps was quoted as declaring "Any- 
thing to supplant that abomination called the service blouse, 
or service jacket, or what not." 

Such changes will be entirely for the good of the service. 
And while the changes are being made it might be well to 
make more distinction between chiefs and galley aristocrats, 
or, to attain the ideal, to force these aristocrats by regu- 
lation to shoulder all the gold lace, braid, epaulets, chevrons 
and everything remotely akin to them whose strongest ap- 
peal is to vanity, mimicry, savagery and prehensility. 

These important matters I w^as pondering deeply w^hen 4 
o'clock came and we were relieved from watch. As we left 
our posts a rainstorm burst upon us. Down shot the mer- 

[331] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

cury to 55» a drop of fifteen degrees almost immediately. 
Our boatswain's mate of the watch dived into the hold and 
dragged forth the oilskins, and handed a suit to each look- 
out. The cold was so penetrating that he went dow^n again 
and brought out the sheepskin coats for the first time. A 
high w^ind blew out of the southwest, driving the rain into 
the necks of the lookouts with a sharp pain. The sea be- 
came choppy, then our slender craft rolled like a gar-fish 
from side to side, varying w^ith pitches and lurches as we 
changed course slightly or the sea misbehaved from a dif- 
ferent direction. After a while the rain held up, but the 
wind whipped our loose canvas-ends into shreds. I was 
quite taken aback to see our comical steward weeping softly 
against the ice-box as he held on with both hands. Said a 
case of eggs had gone to the deck from the refrigerator top, 
and the responsibility w^ould be traced back to him. 

"But w^hy grieve over demolished eggs?" I inquired reas- 
suringly. "Nobody is responsible for such things around 
here." 

"They are six cents apiece, and 30 dozen to the case!" 
he w^ailed. 

A w^ave lifted us suddenly and I w^ent dow^n on my right 
hip, sustaining, as they say in Brooklyn, severe contusions 
and abrasions, as well as a shaking-up that transposed my 
entire visceral mass. Our chief pharmacist's mate rushed 
up w^ith a tourniquet, some iodoform gauze and sticking 
plaster, and asked w^hich I needed w^orst. I told him I guess- 
ed the sticking plaster w^ould do, and I w^ould put it on as 
soon as the ship got still. He said to come around in the 
morning to the apothecary shop and he would give me some 
w^itch hazel for soreness, — that he was w^ell fitted out to care 
for the wounded. I thanked him and made my way below^ 
to the seamen's compartment and hitched to a stanchion for 
chow. I call attention to the stanchions because our tureens 
were tied to them, containing food and silverw^are, while 
the rest of the food w^as in aluminum platters w^hich the mess 

[332] 



Standing by the Wing Locker 



cooks surrounded as best they could with their feet and 
knees. Occasionally a platter would get away from our 
inexperienced mess cook of the Reserve Force and he would 
dive across the compartment to nab it, only to lose other 
vessels he had been safeguarding. The hungry sailors would 
lend a hand and assemble the chow again, whereupon each 
man would help himself and eat under whatever endurable 
circumstances he could find. 

Gentle reader, imagine yourself perched on a camp stool 
with face to port and back to starboard — at the seamen's 
dining table — trying to steer a bowl of soup safely into 
your alimentary canal. The ship rolls 45 degrees, and your 
stool and soup bow^l begin to slide at the same time. You 
hold the edge of the table with your left hand, clasp your 
spoon dow^n hard into the bottom of the bowl to secure it, 
then cautiously push yourself to your feet, for the stool 
threatens to carry you across the compartment in a jiffy. 
The angle of the bowl now being constant with regard to the 
relation it bears to the table, the angle described by the 
ship's lurch spills half your soup. You quickly release your 
grip on the table edge and take the bowl in both hands to 
steady it. This leaves the soup suspended perfectly be- 
tween zenith and nadir, fixed in its relation to the bowl, and 
altogether incomparable if you do not w^eaken. Stated an- 
other w^ay, the soup will not spill, although it may be get- 
ting cold. Yet you must devise some way to eat. Your 
spoon and slice of light bread have been sliding all over the 
table, kept from hitting the w^et deck only by a wooden 
flange. Before you can plan your campaign, your feet be- 
gin to slip and ere you can blink an eye you have slid four 
yards across to the starboard dining table, getting your feet 
hopelessly tangled up in the legs of a prostrate stool, bump- 
ing w^ithout demanding gangway into a shipmate who turns 
loose his soup so it fits perfectly down your neck. No apol- 
ogies are needed; you are too glad that your soup is still in- 
tact and you are still existing, but ere you have recovered 

[333] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

from the confusion the ship rolls from 45 positive to the 
same negative and you rejoin your old friends the spoon and 
the bread where you left them a moment ago. You set the 
bowl down like it w^as a baby, cling to the table w^ith your 
left hand and go after your spoon w^ith your mighty right, 
hoping a lapse w^ill come so you can swallow a spoonful and 
be happy. But the lapse does not come and the bow^l goes 
caroming to the deck. All the while the mess cook has been 
casting angry, furtive glances at you, and he now calls you 
harsh names; and everybody w^ho is not your next friend 
scoffs and asks how^ you ever pried your way into this man's 
organization anyhow. 

I saw a queer happening which our lawyer and notary 
public w^ill swear to. A tureen of canned salmon skidded 
off a nearby locker and hit under the starboard table. The 
mess cook plunged after it, but missed by a hair. The ves- 
sel bounced plumb into the lap of our Irish oiler, who 
shouted gleefully as he seized it w^ith both hands, 'Tve got 
the bloody thing!" I was reminded of a fat football center 
receiving the ball on the kickoff in the region of his center 
of gravity, and not know^ing what to do with it. The ship's 
swing-back upset our hero and the salmon slipped away 
from him, landing on the locker of a gunner's mate and 
spoiling a brand new suit of liberty blues. I had the mis- 
fortune to let a ration of stew get away from me to the 
deck. There was no use staying below^ to hear the mess 
cook rave, so I seized a cold potato betw^een my teeth and 
followed it madly all the way to the chart house, where I 
feasted in peace. I w^as thankful to be alive, — thankful that 
I had a slippery deck to skate on, a speaking tube to cling 
to, and an oil-skin coat that fit so snugly about my neck 
that not more than a quart of briny water seeped in every 
time our good ship did a smart courtsey to the angry w^aves. 
Only a third arm could have made me happier. Every sailor 
needs one in his business. In the matter of prehensile 
things evolution has not even started to begin to provide. 

[334] 



Standing by the Wing Locker 



The deck continued to be a sort of good-natured jog- 
gling-board that regularly teased you, smashed you and ex- 
terminated you. In another hour I had contracted "deco- 
rations" on my knees that stuck out like hen eggs, and sev- 
eral slivers of perfectly good epidermis had been peeled off 
my shins; but pains of various kinds convinced me that my 
heart, lungs, and diaphragm were still working, though in 
different places than they had occupied before. I had 
grown so feeble from underfeeding and excitement that 
anybody could have knocked me flat with a dried herring 
or an ostrich feather. Perhaps it w^ould be an advantage 
to go below and try to sleep; but no, it was nearly as un- 
steady down there and I did not relish the stifling closeness 
of it. Furthermore, I didn't care to be calumniated by a 
mess cook while not able to defend myself. After a w^hile 
he would surely forget, or at least listen to reason. 

Along came a wave that catapulted me from one side 
of the ship to the other, and my head hit our boatsw^ain's 
mate of the w^atch in the middle and sent him reeling. He 
seized me by the neck and looked around for a marlin-spike, 
but failing to find one, relented and demanded to know^ 
what I was doing near the chart house when not on duty. 
I stammered that I was watching the w^aves in order to re- 
port any submarines that might be hovering near. He 
shoved me into a corner and tied me about the w^aist to a 
bridge upright, saying I was a dangerous person to be loose 
on deck, and after two hours I might go below^. I thanked 
him, and presently a gunner's mate staggered by, shifting 
from forecastle gun to quarter deck to test his sights. A 
steam exhaust pipe hissed steam into my ear, and, oh! those 
smells from the galley! 

I gazed at my shipmate appealingly. 

"What are you hitched up for?" the gunner shouted. 

"Got the crew's pay slips in my pocket?" I replied. 

"Good boy! Want any more rope?" 

"Nope." 

[335] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

He disappeared and I was free to gaze upon the most won- 
derful white-caps that 1 had ever seen. Perhaps they were 
more than white-caps; they were the tops of waves 50 feet 
high. They flirted with us, laughed at us, danced about 
us and occasionally hurled themselves upon us. Hobgoblins 
and mermaids seemed to be tripping and splashing in a cav- 
ernous fairy kingdom, brandishing torches of fox-fire as they 
came and went, for it was night, and dark. Streaking 
through this mass of coral castles and gay sea sprites we 
appeared to be a huge dragon breathing hot blasts of flame 
from our nostrils and loosing reserve stocks of fire from our 
sides and tail. The fancy sorties of the w^aters gave the 
effect of myriads of subdued electric lights. It was the 
phosphorus in the sea. Huge fish sped tow^ard us to see 
what brand of monster we could be, then sw^ished away at 
right angles or turned tail about as they realized we traveled 
without fins. Little fountain spouts grew up out of the 
wave tops and broke into fine rainbow^ spray. Overhead a 
hazy w^hite canopy encompassed it all, with now^ and then 
a star shining dimly. Professor Paine's peerless fireworks 
were nothing by comparison. My second self told my mor- 
tal self that I w^as lucky to gaze upon a scene like this, that 
submarines did not matter, and that I should take a brace 
if I wished to survive. My mortal self replied to my second 
self that my fate was a matter of indifference so long as I 
could have an end of the agony. 

It w^as now time to go below^ and I unhitched and put 
the rope coil under my belt for future use. A sudden en- 
counter with a wave sent me to my hands and knees. Beth- 
lehem steel is hard, so I crawled the distance to the ladder 
and fell to the quarter-deck, then fell dow^n the other ladder 
to the head of my bunk. Only one light w^as burning, and 
it was all wrapped up in black cotton socks so the subs 
couldn't see us far. I groped my way to my bunk and re- 
moved my shoes, this being an old custom w^ith sailors, to 
rest the feet. Then I stretched out and was ready for a 

[336] 







SINK A SUBMARINE, HANG UP A STAR 
On Aug. 9, 1918, the Destroyer Tucker, with 130 sur- 
vivors of the French Cruiser Dupetit Thouars aboard, 
dropped a depth charge on a U-boat and sank it. 

^ [337] 






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For ten months the Panther, under Capt. Andre M. 
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ropean waters, and many regrets were expressed when 
she left to base on Pauillac, near Bordeaux. 




A SURVIVOR OF TWO DISASTERS 
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NOW LET FATHER NEPTUNE RAVE! 

The illustration shows the completeness of one of our 
rough-and-ready uniforms, which protected the gob from 
heel to hair, just like a Norseman bold. 




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DON'T LET HIS FIRST NAME SCARE YOU 

Jesse James Neville, of Rabun Gap, Ga., who came to 
the Reid from the Bridge and who witnessed the sur- 
render of the U-58 crew to the Fanning. 




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FROM "CHEESE-CLOTH TO BROAD-CLOTH" 

An old Breton Frenchman at Brest whose doleful 
"Mer-ci, Monsieur; Mer-ci !" was known to thousands of 
Americans on liberty. He soon became prosperous. 





A CHARACTERISTIC FRENCH SMILE 

Mademoiselle is busy nursing her heroic countrymen 
back to health in a hospital near the Palace of King 
Louis XIV at Versailles, but pauses for a picture. 




A DOSE OF THEIR OWN MEDICINE 
Hall of Mirrors, Trianon Palace, at Versailles, where 
the French signed peace in 1871, Emperor William I 
was crowned and the Germans signed for peace in 1919. 




BROKEN DOWN WITH SEA SERVICE! 
One of our doughty firemen (who will be recognized 
by his shipmates) dons his Easter sox and takes a siesta 
on an ammunition box. 



Standing by the Wing Locker 



few hours of slumber. However, the waves continued to 
pound us and make the night hideous. The machinery 
creaked and groaned and a leaky steam pipe kept whistling 
like a peanut parcher. I thought I could hear one or two 
men snoring, but I could not go to sleep. To stay in my 
bunk it was necessary to run my arms beneath an elastic 
strap that goes over the middle of my mattress and under 
the metal cot. In this position I remained doggedly silent 
until midnight, when our watch was called again. 1 was 
so sleepy that I remembered little of what happened dur- 
ing the next four hours, except that at the end of it I no- 
ticed a radio man swinging around No. 1 smokestack in 
an effort to snag our flying wireless apparatus and put it 
to rights again. After two or three hours more of misery 
on the bunk, breakfast time came, with beans and loaf bread 
as the menu, and I felt sure I would be lucky to stomach a 
single bean. While I was not exactly sea-sick, I was very 
much disturbed on the interior. Beans didn't look a bit 
good to me. They were about as acceptable as fried eggs 
on the seventh successive day, yet I was forced to eat some- 
thing or could not possibly stand another watch. Besides, 
the bean has been considered standard since time began, 
and to eat it is largely an expression of patriotism and sat- 
isfaction with the established order of things. Our sea 
cook — better known as the First Lord of the Galley — stood 
up for the bean whenever it was attacked from any quar- 
ter. Our comical steward swore by the Irish potato because 
he could disguise it so easily, — by mixing with salmon, 
corned beef, soup, hash, salads and other things. However, 
the sailors do not get salads often; and when they do they 
always get red pepper and raw onions. Our First Lord 
of the Galley insists that sailors don't rate much, and lets 
them know their place whenever possible. He always fed 
himself well, it was openly charged; ate dessert, peaches 
and pears in the hold while the crew were eating their 
beans. 

At the table we did not waste much time on etiquette. To 

[353] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

wash your face for breakfast during a hurricane was con- 
sidered a decided economic disutility; then we didn't care 
much whose place w^e occupied just so we got a mouthful 
of grub. But one thing w^e always insisted on, and that 
was for a man to remove his headgear at meals. It didn't 
make any difference whether a fellow^ had on any pants or 
not, but he musn't presume to wear a w^hite hat or a watch 
cap. Everybody would howl him out of the compartment. 
Wednesday continued rough, but Shorty insisted that the 
deck hands should wash down deck as usual. He claimed 
that our executive officer would fuss if he saw^ cinders 
around the smoke stacks, but Bullard, w^ho used to be cap- 
tain of a tugboat in the East River, opined that he would 
never see them. Seemed like all our chief petty oflEicers 
had out forked sticks for their men. The gunner's mates 
had to remove gun covers and grease the guns, the heaves 
were ordered to shovel more coal, and the engine room force 
to do repair work on the side. Looked like time for the 
yeomen to get busy, so our other yeoman started shining 
a brass stanchion with emery paper, while I tied to the am- 
munition hoist abaft of the seamen's compartment hatch 
and began to prepare a survey on the eggs that had gone 
overboard the day before. When we survey things it is 
first necessary to fill in a form containing a request from 
our surveying officer to our commanding officer for the 
survey to be held. This form is heavily signed, counter- 
signed and witnessed, w^hereupon our commanding officer 
addresses a form permission or order to the surveying of- 
cer, also heavily signed and countersigned. The survey- 
ing proper consists of giving the history of the article as 
far back as it is know^n — w^hen received, when lost or dis- 
carded, cost, characteristics in use, etc., etc. As I was es- 
timating the age of our eggs our junior lieutenant, formerly 
an efficiency expert in New York who manufactured cellu- 
loid collars, some of which have quite a vogue in the ward- 
room, came along and asked what I was doing. I told him 

[354] 



Standing by the Wing Locker 



and he seemed very much interested; wanted to know all 
about our system, how I worked the job and how it w^orked 
me. I explained that the job had been wished on me by 
our ensign, and that w^hile business methods were new to 
me I was picking up ideas fast. I was continuing the sys- 
tem which I found in vogue when my predecessor jumped 
overboard, and really w^as not responsible for it. He asked 
a good many embarrassing questions, against which I braced 
myself and tried to answer. 

"Could you tell me instantly how many hen eggs to the 
egg you have aboard?" he inquired. 

"Heavens, no!" I exclaimed, almost forgetting that I was 
in the presence of an officer. "A good many of our eggs 
are duck eggs, and there are some guinea eggs, too." 

"Could you tell me how old the mackerel is in the hold?" 
he persisted. 

"Not exactly, sir," I replied uneasily, "but it must be 
pretty old. The crew won't touch it any more." 

I gained a little advantage by warning the lieutenant to 
look out for a wave that was headed our way, but he 
kept on. 

"You could not tell the age of your mackerel or the ex- 
act number of your eggs unless you kept a perpetual stock 
record, could you?" 

"1 suppose not, sir," I answered, wondering what a per- 
petual stock record could be and shuddering at the thought 
that it might have to be installed. 

"I guess I had better investigate the yeoman office to see 
just w^hat you've got, if anything," said he coolly, and our 
executive officer, who had come up in time to hear part 
of the conversation, hit us again: 

"Two yeomen hammering on typewriters will never win 
the w^ar." 

Our executive officer always considered yeomen a sort 
of necessary evil, but we had managed by painting the of- 
fice once to forestall a searching investigation, so that when 

[355] 



70.000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

the officers came below thereafter they would only sniff con- 
temptuously. I started to say that I was in favor of a 
more vigorous policy myself; that our side could do a great 
deal more fighting if we only did less bookkeeping and note 
writing; and that it would be a distinct public service if we 
could make reports annually and spend the rest of the time 
digging for the enemy. A hot siege of correspondence, for 
instance, had once upset our war plans considerably. Our 
superiors ashore wanted to put metal treads in our galley, 
claiming it would keep the cooks from slipping up; but we 
had tried them once and found that when they got wet they 
were more slippery than ice, banana peelings or anything 
you can think of. The correspondence would fill a book; 
we are carrying it yet. So with countless other musty rec- 
ords which we fear to touch; but at that I suppose we are 
contibuting a bit to the sum total of good, because every 
ounce of ballast counts heavily when we are leaning at 45- 
degree angles and higher. 

Our executive officer disappeared in the w^ardroom in 
time to close the door on a wave, and there reported to our 
captain that our $40 chopping block had just been swept 
overboard. He also said he had investigated strange noises 
in the galley and found a hind quarter of beef flopping 
around among the pots and kettles. 

"Sounded like the biscuits they cooked last week," drily 
remarked the captain. "Looks like they never went to sea 
before, — the way they tie things down." 

Luckily our sea cook did not hear that remark, else it 
might have finished him. His record showed that he ren- 
dered valiant service as a coal heaver in the Battle of San- 
tiago, had gradually worked up to ship's cook, first class, 
and was entitled by virtue of so many re-enlistments to 
w^ear more service stripes on his forearm than an admiral. 
He possessed an originality that extended far beyond culi- 
nary affairs. The term "automatic boob" originated in the 
galley, being applied at every favorable opportunity to all 

[356] 



Standing by the Wing Locker 



young mess cooks who ball things up to the dissatisfaction 
of their superior in rank. However, our First Lord of the 
Galley had his downs as well as his ups. 'He had incurred 
the ire of our chief petty officers by serving out too much 
cold food, part of w^hich they claimed was raw. In their 
eyes he w^as the champion can-opener of the maritime w^orld, 
and on this particular day they paid him a visit in com- 
mittee of the whole. 

*'Look a-here," began the largest of the committee, with- 
out saluting, "get busy and send down some hot food. Cook 
it better. Snap out of your bunk earlier in the morning. 
No use to get in w^rong with the crew. Do you suppose 
anybody w^ould throw you a life-preserver if you went 
overboard?" 

The chiefs were flanked by a liberal assemblage of quar- 
termasters, seamen, firemen and gunner's mates, including 
the Captain of the Hold, the Captain of the Wherry and 
the Captain of the Phonograph. All held on to something 
as we rocked about. 

*'I would throw him the anvil," interposed a mess cook. 

The First Lord started to say something about "Chief 
Pettifogging Ossifers tryin* to stir things up;" he said no 
mortal could do more than heat water under the awful con- 
ditions, but he was told to pipe down and deliver the goods. 
A marked change came shortly. Evidently our First Lord 
considered the anvil. 

The wind had now shifted. It was boosting us from the 
port quarter, nearly dead astern, raising huge waves that 
carried us high and let us slide at an angle into the trough 
of the sea. As the elements continued to harry us I could 
notice a changing sentiment among certain members of the 
crew, — mostly the green material. Several expressed the 
opinion that w^e w^ould soon break in the middle; it was 
only a question of time. Others were too far gone to have 
any opinion about anything, and lay helpless, clutching 
wherever they could gain a hold. These were attended 

C357] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 



by their close friends, who were utterly unable to help. Our 
lawyer held to a table and scribbled on a pad. He was 
framing a poor devil's will. The recruits had long since 
f6rgotten about the U-boats, and would gladly have swapped 
our storm for one. A brave lad from the Middle West sug- 
gested that it might be well to throw out some ballast — 
too much water was flowing through the hatches to feel 
comfortable. He said w^e might spare a ton or so from the 
forward hold, which was crammed with smoked shoulders, 
flour, sugar, lard, assorted jams and jellies, evaporated milk, 
chipped beef and sea biscuits. Our Captain of the Paint 
Locker replied that he wouldn't give up any ballast, but 
that Shorty might, such as leather, bath bricks, soap powder, 
turpentine, padlocks, boot-topping, snap hooks and cut- 
lasses. 

"His rat guards could also be spared," asserted our Jack 
of the Dust, who helps with the commissary. "Who ever 
heard of hunting submarines with rat guards?" 

A deck hand who has a righteous respect for Shorty 
passed the buck to the Engineering Department, which he 
said was about to sink the ship with enough truck to out- 
fit several auxiliary cruisers, and including solder bars, sal- 
ammoniac, bolts and nuts, brass unions, packing sticks, rat- 
tail files, tallow candles and flake graphite. None of the 
department people would give up a pound. The only vol- 
unteer was a seaman who said if necessary he could spare 
a guitar. 

Wednesday night our Doc ministered unto the needy, 
shooting half the crew full of candy pills, and Thursday did 
not look any better. The storm gave us a terrible pum- 
meling, and off in the distance we could see our convoy 
struggling like a devil' s-horse dashing up a window pane or 
an ancient dinosaurus extricating himself from a hole of 
mud. Off our port beam the other destroyer lay mastless 
but grand, behaving like a hobby-horse, but never giving 
up the fight. My extra store of vitality returned at this 

[358] 



Standing by the Wing Locker 



stage of the voyage, perhaps due to the fact that I had eaten 
two hard-boiled eggs and a sea biscuit, and in an unguarded 
moment I climbed to the bridge to watch the wonderful 
scenery. I say unguarded because it is a horrible thing for 
a gob to loaf around this sacred shrine. It is comparable 
to doing unauthorized work, or looking cross-eyed at a 
chief petty ofl&cer, or lounging on deck lost in a love story 
when brass parts are due to be shined. The bridge is re- 
served exclusively for the commissioned officers, the quar- 
termasters and the helmsman. Anybody else's feet are in 
the way and are apt to get stepped on. There would be 
only enough room for the quartermasters if the officers and 
the helmsman didn't play such an important part. Officers 
and helmsmen are accordingly allowed a small space, with 
the further provision that the helmsman must apologize at 
stated intervals for his existence. 

I reached the bridge deck unobserved and was drinking 
in the glorious sight. It felt fine to be so high where noth- 
ing could hit you but a light spray, and I could eat that. I 
hooked my elbow around a metal support of the searchlight 
platform. The officers had no good handholds and were 
slipping about like drunken men on roller skates. Our 
captain was almost unrecognizable in a saffron- colored 
slicker that hung down to his heels, and on his head was 
perched a southwester to match. He reminded me of the 
old salt who swings an enormous fish over his shoulder and 
advertises cod-liver oil. They say our captain used to teach 
school and at little entertainments became expert in leger- 
demain, — that he could play card tricks and take bowls of 
gold-fish out of handkerchiefs and rabbits out of silk hats. 
Maybe he had conjured the submarines out of the ocean. 
It looked very much that w^ay. 

Our Junior Lieutenant appeared to have unusually good 
sea legs, for he could stand with his arms folded, shifting 
from foot to foot, stolid and Napoleon-like. Our ensign 
was staggering under the weight of a life preserver and a 

[359] 



70, 000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

number of coats, — all bundled up like an Eskimo, with noth- 
ing of his anatomy showing but his eyes. 

Our chief petty officers hanging under the wings of the 
chart house had not shaved in nearly a week, and looked 
like they might have made good if given a trial with the 
modern Captain Kidd. Grotesque figures draped in horse- 
cloth outer garments topped off with hoods, aviator style, 
hovered wherever corners were. 

My picnic ended there. My unholy presence had been 
discovered by a quartermaster, a "meal ticket sailor" of the 
Old Navy. 

"What'Il ye have, ye rumskullion?" he demanded fiercely. 
"A punch in the nose?" 

I looked for a hole to craw^l into. None was handy, so 
I replied: 

"Please, sir, sparrow me; I did not mean any harm." 

He turned to get back on course and when he looked 
around I w^as gone. But before I left I saw^ our captain 
hand our executive officer half of an egg sandwich, having 
devoured the first half himself. I took the shortest route 
down, — bridge chart desk to Charley Noble, Charley Noble 
to quarter deck, — Charley Noble being the smoke stack 
that emits odors from the galley right under the nose of 
the searchlight platform lookout. Presently the officers 
gathered in the w^ardroom to finish their meal. The chairs 
were lashed around the table with ropes, and the officers 
stood shakily spearing at the various articles of food. Our 
captain w^as w^restling with a piece of steak — it may have 
been army mule — and saying he w^ould like to trade it for 
a baked apple or salmon croquette. Our junior lieutenant 
was trying to dig into an orange with one hand, while our 
ensign w^as yelling into the galley for double-quick on a ham 
sandwich. 

"It is 24 hours since I have slept," declared our, naviga- 
tion officer, yawning. 

**I can't remember when I slept last," returned our en- 

[360] 



Standing by the Wing Locker 



gineer officer, "but I remember very distinctly having fallen 
out of my bunk five times. Some voyage, I call it." 

That night after chow we began to ship water in the 
seamen's quarters, until the deck had a good six inches 
which sloshed from side to side and stole into our lockers, 
keeping everybody up until nearly dawn. Jolly spirits 
helped matters as we baled; "The Bird" began to sing. 

We are jolly old tars of the sea, — yo-ho. 

It's a jolly old life for me, you know, 

And I'd rather be here with a keg of lagerbeer 

Than bouncing my girl on my knee, — yo-ho! 

"You're a cheerful liar!" piped a machinist's mate, and 
then several joined in the chorus. Our Filipino wardroom 
stew^ard hauled out his mandolin and began to play. All 
our lights were turned on so w^e could see to arrange our 
things. No submarine could exist in such a storm. The 
ordinary rules of safety w^ere suspended so we could save 
ourselves from a nearer danger. 

On Friday our chief quartermaster made the following 
entry in the deck log: 

"The storm continued. At 10:20 a. m. the vessel rolled 
so far to starboard that the water circuit in the circulators 
w^as broken, putting the engines out of commission. At 
10:30 the trouble was reniedied and we proceeded on our 
course." 

Friday night Shorty rushed excitedly into the wardroom 
to announce: 

"Sir, it grieves me to report that we have lost overboard 
a set of running lights, a bow pudding, a set of oars, a boat 
cloth, a set of cushions and covers, a boat grapnel, an an- 
chor, 20 fathoms of chain, a bucket, a fire extinguisher, a 
set of gripes, a set of canopy covers, a deck and boat book, 
four boat fenders, two double wooden block swivel hooks. 



"Stop!" ordered our Captain sharply. "What in the 
world has happened?" 

[361] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

"That ain't half yet," drawled Shorty, who was now read- 
ing front a hastily-drawn list, all wet w^ith salty spray. "We 
also lost, sir, two suits of oilskins, two boat cradles, tw^o 
flag staffs, twelve vest life preservers, two circular life buoys, 
two monkey wrenches, a pair of ride cutter's pliers, a cold 
chisel, six spark plugs, two squirt cans and 24 emergency 
rations." 

"Land save us I" shrieked our captain, throwing his hand 
to his head. "The motor-boat's gone overboard again I" 

"There w^as one other article," said Shorty, fumbling with 
his list. "A medicine ball." 

"What w^as the medicine ball doing in the motor-boat?" 
demanded our executive officer. 

"Some of the sailors slipped it in there; w^as to have played 
the natives a game on the day w^e shoved off." 

"Guess our baseball outfit was in it, too," suggested our 
ensign. 

**Maybe; I dunno for sure," answ^ered Shorty as he beat 
it aft. 

Saturday dawned bright and clear. During the night we 
had lost our convoy, but after putting on 20 knots we picked 
her up again and steamed into our harbor, where Sweeney 
took the names of all w^ho w^anted liberty to test the Irish 
brand of grog. The sun warmed us up again and as the 
sailors pulled themselves together and swapped yarns about 
the deck the new^s of the birth of three canaries in the 
storm reached the wardroom. 

Our captain rang for our chief boatswain's mate, who ap- 
peared. 

"Shorty, is it true that Mike's canaries hatched young 
birds Thursday?" he asked. 
Yes, sir. 

"Tell me all about it." 

"Three out of four eggs hatched, sir. The old birds had 
been settin' for nearly three w^eeks." 

"Good; I guess Mike gets the red suspenders." 

[362] 



Standing by the Wing Locker 



"But the mother bird stepped on one and killed it." 

"Well, the others will grow up." 

**No, sir, — Mike just took the cage up on deck to sun. 
Must have been too cold for "em." 

"The old birds will raise more, w^on't they?" 

"No, sir; it was this w^ay: Mike let the mother out of the 
cage to stretch her wings and a seagull ate her up. All 
w^e got left is the father bird, sir, and somebody's done pulled 
his tail-feathers out I" 




[363] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 



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[364] 



Tables of Convoy Service 



Times 

First Trip with 

Vessel Nationality to France Reid 

Dante Alighieri Italian 5- 10-' 18 4 

Due d'Aosta ....Italian 5- 1 8-j 1 8 3 

Great Northern American 3- 12-* 18 2 

LaFrance French 7- 9-' 1 8 2 

Lenape American 5- 10-* 18 1 

Manchuria American 2- 18-* 18 1 

Martha Washington Austrian 2- 1 0-* 1 8 1 

Mongolia American 3- 7-* 18 2 

Northern Pacific American 3-29-* 18 2 

Patria French 6-23-* 18 2 

Re d*Italia Italian 5- 18-* 18 2 

Rijndam Dutch ^.5- 1 0-j 1 8 1 

Siboney American 4-23-* 18 1 

Wilhelmina American 5- 10-* 18 1 



Other Ships Nationality 

Amphion American... 

Artemis American... 

Bridge American.. 

City of Atlanta American.. 

Calamares American.. 

Canopic British 

Comfort American.. 

Cubore American.. 

Czar British 

Czaritza British 

Edward Luckenback British 

Euripides British 

Finland American.. 

Freedom American.. 

Gold Shell British 

Harrisburg - — American.. 

Henderson American.. 

lowan American.. 

Kentuckian American.. 

Konigin der Nederlanden..Dutch-.-.... 

Kroonland American.. 

Mallory American- 
Manchester Castle British 

Manhattan American.. 

[365] 



Times 

with 

Character Reid 

.Merchantm*n .. 1 

.Merchantm'n .. 1 

.Supply 1 

.Merchantm'n .. 1 

.Transport 3 

-Transport 1 

.Hospital Ship .. 2 

.Merchantm*n .. 1 

-Transport 2 

.Transport 1 

.Merchantm'n .. 2 

..Merchantm*n .. 1 

..Transport 4 

..Merchantm'n .. 1 

..Merchantm'n .. 1 

..Transport 1 

..Transport 2 

-Transport 1 

..Transport 1 

-Merchantm'n „ 1 

..Transport 5 

..Transport 2 

..Merchantm'n .. 1 

..Merchantm'n .. 1 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 



Times 

with 

Other Ships Nationality Character Reid 

Maumee American Oil Supply 2 

Mexican American Merchantm'n .. 

Middlesex British Merchantm'n .. 

Montanan American Merchantm'n .. 

Nansemond American... Transport 

Neches American Transport 2 

Nero American Collier 2 

Nokomis American Transport 

Nopatin French Merchantm'n .. 

Nyanza American Transport 

Ohioan ^ American Transport 

Olympic British Transport 

Osage American Merchantm'n .. 

Pediladia Italian Transport 

Pennsylvanian American Transport 

Plattsburg .American.. ..Transport 

Praetorius American Transport 

Rappahannock American Transport 

River Otranto British Merchantm'n .. 

Roepat British Merchantm'n .. 

Santa Rosa British Merchantm'n .. 

Tenadores Anierican Transport 



Tiger British 

Ulysses British 

Vauban British 

Wabash American.. 

War Python British 

West Bridge American Merchantm'n .. 

Wyandotte ^. American Transport 



Transport 

Merchantm'n .. 
Merchantm'n .. 
Merchantm'n .. 
Merchantm'n .. 




[366] 



Tables of Convoy Service 



Times 

with 

Destroyer Reid 

9 — Macdonough 1 

13 — *Stewart 1 

1 4 — Truxtun. 2 

IS^Whipple 2 

16— Worden 1 

17— Smith 17 

18 — Lamson 33 

I 9 — Preston 24 

20 — Flusser 29 

22 — Paulding 1 

23 — Drayton 6 

24— Roe 10 

25 — Terry 1 

29 — Burrows 2 

30 — Warrington 12 

32 — Monaghan 12 

36 — Patterson 1 

3 7 — *Fanning 2 

38 Jarvis 9 

44 — Cummings 3 



Times 

with 

Destroyer Reid 

49 — ^^Benham 3 

51 — O'Brien 3 

52 — Nicholson 6 

53_Winslow 1 

54 — McDougal I 

55 — Gushing 2 

57__*Tucker 2 

59 — Porter 2 

60 ^Wadsworth 5 

64 — Rowan 1 

66— Allen 1 

67— Wilkes 2 

68 — Shaw^ 2 

72 — Conner 4 

79— Little 4 

81 — Sigourney 4 

91 — Harding I 

94 — Taylor 1 

*Officiany credited with 
submarines. 



Other destroyers based on or put into Brest at 
one time or another, record of service at sea with 
which is lacking, included the Sterett (27), McCall 
(28), Trippe (33), Walke (34), Ammen (35), 
Balch (50), Ericsson (56), Conygham (58), Wain- 
wright (62), Sampson (63), Davis (65), Caldwell 
(69), Manley (74), Kimberly (80), Gregory (82). 
Stringham (83), Fairfax (93), Murray (97). Oth- 
ers in European w^ar service at one time or another 
up to No. 99 were the Mayrant (31 ), Henley (39), 
Beale (40), Jenkins (42), Cassin (43), Downes 
(45), Duncan (46), Alywin (47), Parker (48), 
Jacob Jones (61), sunk by a submarine; Craven 
(70), Gwin (71), Stockton (73), Wickes (75), 
Philip (76), Woolsey (77). Evans (78), Dyer 
(84), Calhoun (85). Stevens (86), McKee (87). 

[367] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

Robinson (88), Ringgold (89), McKean (90), 
Gridley (92), Stribling (96), Israel (98), and 
Luce (99). The Jouett (41), patrolled and con- 
voyed exclusively off the Atlantic Coast of the United 
States. Information on the Perkins (26) is lacking. 
The Reid also escorted the Cruiser San Diego, 
which was sunk by mine or torpedo off the Coast of 
the United States in the late summer of 1918; the 
Gunboat Castine, the Revenue Cutter Manning and 
the Cruiser Seattle, and made contact at sea with 
the Scout cruiser Chester, the Battleship New Hamp- 
shire twice and the Cruiser Huntington three times. 
The Reid made eight trips with the Yacht Isabel; 
three each with the Noma and the Corsair; two with 
the Aphrodite; one with the Wakiva, and one each 
with the French war vessels Adventurier, Etourdi, 
Aisne, Yser, Espiegle and Somme. 




[368] 



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[369] 




R&de de Brest 



ICEY: 1 — Admiral's Office. 2 — Army Headquarters and Postoffice. 
3 — Y. M. C. A. Money Exchange. 4 — Restaurants. 5 — Dormitory. 
8 — Store-house. 10 — Navy Hut. 13 — Officer's Club. 14 — Navy Can- 
teen. 15 — Patrol Office and Navy Postoffice. 16 — Small Stores. 17 
— French Postoffice- 18 — Army Base Hospital No. 1. 22 — Market. 
23 — American Consul. 24 — British Consul. 23 — British Headquar- 
ters. 26 — Protestant Church. 27 — Catholic Church. 29 — Municipal 
Theatre. 30 — Y. M. C. A. Headquarters. 

[370] 



With The Sea-Going Poets 

HURRAH FOR GOOD OLD MAINE! 
By "Bill the Biscuit Maker" 

Bar Harbor, Maine, has won its fame, 
For its good old pork and beans, 

And Boston, Mass., will also pass, 
If you have money in your jeans. 

But when I speak of Frisco fair 

I always have the shakes; 
For the air is ever scorching there 

And the earth is full of quakes. 

And Colorado's a fine old state. 
And I've heard its history told, 

And many a man has met his fate 
While searching there for gold. 

Fried chicken meat is hard to beat, 

And honey from the South; 
The w^affles that the Rebels eat 

Would melt in any mouth. 

They say the Rebels use too much 

Of grease in cooking things; 
But give me pot licker and greens 

And plenty of chicken w^ings. 

Savannah makes a specialty 

Of fresh-caught shrimp and rice; 

Hoboken has the swellest beer 
That was ever put to ice. 

The Portuguese are fond of cheese. 
The French are fond of wine. 

There are lots of places 'cross the pond 
For a hungry gob to dine. 

But w^hen the people leave this state, — 
The good old State of Maine, 

They one and all seem to think it great 
To get back home again. 

[371] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

LAND LUBBER, BEWARE! 
By "Bill the Biscuit Maker" 
I had a little sweetheart, 

Her name was Annabelle; 
She was a queen among the daisies. 
And I loved her, Oh, so w^ell! 

We went to all the dances, 

After which we'd go and dine; 

I bought her silks and laces, 
And I bought her dresses fine. 

We were like lovers in a dream, 

Until one autumn day, 
A city guy with better looks 

Stole Annabelle away. 

When I recovered from my trance 

The wedding w^as all over, 
And I became — 1 know not why — 

A regular world-w^ide rover. 

My sweetheart Annabelle is gone 

To fairer land than this; 
I know^ he did not treat her well. 

Life held for her no bliss. 

For years I've hunted for that man. 

And Vm still hunting yet. 
And when w^e come together, boy. 

He'll get his fill, you bet I 

I swore to her I'd have revenge. 

And if we ever meet. 
Life for life he'll pay the debt. 

Because revenge is sweet! 




[372] 



With the Sea-Going Poets 



GAY BIRD 
By "Bill the Biscuit Maker** 

1 wonder if 

You all have heard 
The wonderful story 

Of old Gay Bird. 
A noble beast 

He must have been 
When full of life 

And in trotting trim. 
He was brought to the island 

By a Bar Harbor gent, 
Who soon discovered 

His money well spent. 
For he seen the day 

When he could out-shine 
'Most anything 

In the trottin* line. 

He now^ enjoys 

A country home 
Where no one cares 

For skin or bone. 
His w^ill is good, 

But I have a doubt 
If he will last 

The summer out! 

We can truthfully say 

If the end is near 
That we are not to blame 

For his short career. 
For he is favored 

In many w^ays 
Out of respect 

For his better days. 
But when he is dead 

And laid to rest. 
We really can say, 

"He done his best." 
With every stride 

And gentle w^ill. 
He strove to fill 

His master's bill. 

[373] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

DAYS OF DREAM LAND 
By "Bill the Biscuit Maker" 

I used to love the ladies so — 

I did the best I could 
By not using the lights in the parlor 

Or burning the old folks* wood. 

We often took the old arm chair 

Through many a bitter storm, 
And there we did the bunny hug 

To keep each other w^arm. 

We've climbed the highest mountain tops 

And sat there by the hours, 
We've roamed through fields and valleys fair 

In search of the rarest flowers. 

I know a very pretty spot — 

We used to go there daily, — 
Where the birds w^ere singing in the trees 

And the squirrels chattered gaily. 

But halcyon days are over now 

And it fills my heart with pain 

To think those days of gentle dreams 
Will never be again. 

I left her by the willow 

As I went aw^ay to war; 
Again I asked her for her hand, 

And again she answ^ered, "Naw!" 

Oh, "well, it doesn't matter much; 

I have a French girl, too; 
My girl at home would have a fit 
If she could see the things w^e do! 



[374] 



With the Sea-Going Poets 



GALLEY RHAPSODIES 
By "Bill the biscuit Maker" 

When evening's twilight shadows come 

A-stealin* o'er the hills, 
Oft-times 1 sit and ponder while 

My heart with longing thrills. 

I close my eyes and softly sigh, 

And visions come to me 
Of a home down in the wild-wood, 

I can hear the honey bee! 

I can hear the song-birds singing sweet 
As they flit from tree to tree, 

But best of all I see a face 
That's all the w^orld to me. 

With curly rings of golden hair 
'Float in the summer's breeze, 

With roguish eyes so full of love, 
And lips that like to tease. 

Though I am many miles aw^ay, 
Sw^eet visions come to me. 

Of fairy face and cozy nest. 
So far across the sea. 

When stars are softly beaming bright 
From the gentle skies above, 

I w^aft on high an evening prayer 
And send to Her my love. 

I pray this fairy maid may keep 

Her fullest love for me; 
*'01d Glory" from the galley flies, — 

I fight for VICTORY! 



[375] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

THE SEA DOGS. 
By Timothy Brown 

Hark, hark, the dogs do bark — 

Berry is coming to town! 
He cooks them all in his iron pot — 
Fido, and Rover, and Towser and Spot, 

Bulldog and Pug and Hound. 

The galley range has caught the mange. 

It's had its fleas quite a while: 
Each man in the crew, w^hen he sees a tree, 
(line deleted by censor) 

And w^e wag our tails when w^e smile. 

We had heard before of the dogs of war, 

We're well acquainted now; 
They're long and narrow, with bright red skins, 
And round and smooth and they live in tins. 

And they're coming down for chow! 



A LAMENT 

(To "Bill the Biscuit-Maker") 

By T. Brown. 

Our cook, the hoy from Maine, has gone, 
Our Biscuit-making Bill has left; 

The Reid-boat knows his art no more, 
And we remain here all bereft. 

No song now lightens labors in 

The galley, v/here he reigned in state; 
The mess-cooks sadly peel the spuds. 
And Berry mourns, disconsolate. 

Gone is our cook, and never again 
Shall we with grateful gusto dent 

His biscuits; nor shall e'ermore scan 
His poetry, for Bill has went! 



[376] 



With the Sea-Going Poets 



STEAMING TO THE EASTWARD 
By Timothy Brown. 

lOh, the meat is getting rotten 

And there's mold upon the bread; 
There's a smell around the ice-box 

That's enough to knock you dead. 
But with these things and some others 

I am game to take a chance, 
For we're steaming to the eastward 

And we're on our way to France. 

Oh, it's lousy in the fo' castle 

And there's scarcely any air, 

It takes mighty little motion 

To make you sea-sick there; 
Though it's very inconvenient 

To be heaving up your grub, 
Still, w^e're steaming to the eastward. 

And we're looking for a sub. 

When you go aft in the mid-watch, 

Climbing over bags of coal. 
Grab a dirty, sooty life-line 

And hang tight at every roll, 
Keep a look-out from the deck-house, 

Feel the vessel pitch and toss. 
While w^e're steaming to the eastward, 

For we're on our way Across. 

Draw your quarter pail of water 

And forget the taste of booze, 
And be careful that your letters 

Contain anything but news; 
Battle bravely w^ith the bed-bugs, 

Little things don't matter much,— 
For w^e're steaming to the eastward, 

On our way to lick the Dutch! 



THE REWARD OF VIRTUE 

Hush little ensign, don't you cry — 
You'll be an admiral by and by! 

[377] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

ODE TO RALPH D. PAINE 

By George M. Battey, Jr. 

In January Ralph D. Paine 

Did board our ship to try the game 

Of canning submarines at sea, 

So's to write The Post of our bravery. 

This learned man and author bold 

(Yclept "Umslopogaas" of old) 

Once pulled an oar in the tub at Yale, — 

So harken to our wondrous tale: 

Grim Father Neptune has his throne 
In the Bay of Biscuits, all alone, 
And on the days of w^hich we speak 
He served out w^eather rough and bleak; 
He sent us hail and he sent us xain. 
And 'twas not long ere Ralph D. Paine 
Did hie himself to the skipper's bunk 
And swear the w^riting game was punk. 

The submarines were driven back 
To leeward shores to take a tack. 
And that is w^hy — 'tis sad to tell — 
We did not bag the subs so well. 
Some said they didn't mind the subs, — 

Would w^elcome one to swag us dubs 

But no such luck, and all sat tight. 
While Author Paine kept out of sight. 

Our First Lord of the Galley stood 

This sort of thing 's long's he could. 

Then shambling to the cabin door 

Into Ralph's ears these w^ords did pour: 

"Musher Paine, sense youse de Post Reporter, 

Hit pears to me dis ship do ow^e to 

You de best what's in de logs, — 

We have for dinner, sir, hot dogs." 

Our hero now w^as far too weak 

To navigate or even speak. 

So he seized a pad and on it w^rote, 

'*This hobby-horse has got my goat; 

King George told me to put an egg 

Into my shoe and shake a leg 

To the South where 'Pen-March Pete' hangs out, 

But believe me, cook, I'm up the spout!" 

[378] 



With the Sea-Going Poets 



Third morning, sun peeked from the sky; 

"Paine's Fireworks" then the crew let fly, 

A brace of cans kicked off the stern, 
To show we had the cans to burn; 
And likewise for to honor him 
We shot the guns w^ith all our vim; 
Then off shoved Ralph to keep a date 
With the Blank Navy, 'twas on his slate. 

(Base censor scratched the verse above 

Because he sw^ore it w^ouldn't do 

To make a statement in cold type 

That were not absolutely true; 

He claims 'twere quite beyond the pale 

Of regulations for to shoot 

Our guns to honor any gent 

All braidless, and sea-sick to boot! 

And so we take our pen in hand, 
Although the ship and waves do fuss. 
To make you fully understand 
The reason w^hy he crosses us. 
We beg your kind indulgency 
The w^hile we finish out our yarn — 
The balance of the thing is true, 
So gentle reader, please read on) : 

Alas! just sixty days apres 

Did "Pen-March Pete" get in our way, 

And tried to stop three cans at once: 

He limped to Spain — (not such a dunce!). 

We w^eep because our friend did go 

To another hobby-horse and so 

We pray that Mr. Ralph D. Paine 

Will write us up, and call again! 



A REJOINDER 
By "Bill the Biscuit Maker" 

Some folks don't seem to ever know 
The proper place for them to go. 
But snoop around the ship all day 
Poking their noses in the way. 
If they would 'tend to their affair. 
They wouldn't smell things in the air; 
If they would try the galley game, 
They'd find the odors just the same. 

[379] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

WAR'S ROMANCES 
By Harry C. Black. 

Steam into port, 

Steam out of port, 
Steam into port again: 

Sail into fog, 

Sail into snow, 
Sail into soaking rain: 

Roll up the seas. 

Roll down the seas, 
And count the storms by scores: 
Let the poets sing of w^ar's romance. 

But I sing of its bores! 

A girl lives here, 

A girl lives there. 
But "port girls" are the same; 

A painted cheek 

And a rat-like eye 
And a soon-forgotten name; 
Let poets sing of w^ar's romance, 

But I sing of its shame! 

What in the Hell is the use of it? 

What in Hell, I say! 
Is a man a blithering, blighted fool, 
A joke composed of clay? 

Sail out of port. 

Sail into port. 
And drink the native wine 

Till the hero w^ho is hymned at home 
Is simply a sleeping swine! 
Let poets sing their senseless songs. 

But I'll sing one of mine! 

It was always thus. 

It is thus today 
And tomorrow w^ill be the same: 

Down with the w^eak. 

Up w^ith the strong. 
For might you cannot tame. 
I can't fill up these forms for nuts, 

But verse is not the same, 
I can kick out this Kipling stuff. 

In a style to win me fame! 

[380] 



With the Sea-Going Poets 



THOUGHTS OF HOME 
By Harry C. Black. 

Three thousand miles of ocean 

'Twixt you and all that's dear, 

Three thousand miles of ocean, — 

Lord, it's longi 

And it's hard to keep a-laughing 

And to joke just when you hear 

That every blessed thing has all gone wrong! 

But still you keep a-laughing, 

Though you're bored, dog-tired and blue. 

Bored, — God strafe the Kaiser and his hate! 

To hell with early rising, take away the wat'ry view^! 

Jove, when the war is over 

I'll sleep late I 

There's three thousand miles of ocean 

To cross when it is done. 

Three thousand miles of ocean, 

Lord, it's long! 

And already some have shot their bolt 

And had their earthly fun 

And a shell it was that sang their burial song! 

But still you keep a-laughing. 

Hold your tears back with a sneer, — 

There's stupidity to sw^ear at, and the crew. 

If a submarine should rap us, 

Will w^e forget all fear? 

Is the ocean quite as w^arm 

As it is blue? 

There's three thousand miles of ocean, — 

Miles w^eary, rough and w^et. 

Three thousand miles of ocean — 

Lord, it's long! 

And the things we can remember 

We wish we could forget, — 

Forget dear days, now dead, forever gone! 

But still you keep a-laughing, 

Though your mirth is mostly sham; 

For God's sake keep a-Iaughing 

And do not give a damn! 

My lad, here comes an Admiral — 

We must give him a sa-lami 

Three thousand miles of ocean, — 

Lord, it's long) 



[381] 



70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

THE EIGHT-KNOT TRAMP 
By Harry C. Black. 

If promotion means nothing to you, 
And comfort you can forsv\rear: 
If you're willing to be forgotten, 
And to work every day in the year; 
If you're fond of taking your chances, 
And the praise of Admirals you shun; 
Pick an eight-knot tramp of the N. R. F. 
Carrying coal on the Channel run! 

The job is a stranger to honors, 

It's also a stranger to shams. 

There's naught to w^in and your life to lose 

Midst its dirt, its dangers, its damns; 

But once you have laughed its laughter 

And the cynic has captured your soul 

You can smile at the rest as you do your best 

To reach an unreachable goal! 

My lad, there is nothing to it. 
There's nothing — and yet — and yet 
It's something to strive for nothing, 

It's something don't you forget; 

So if you're in for the hell of it. 

And you've got sufficient nerve, 

Pick an eight-knot tramp on the Channel run 

Of the U. S. N. Reserve! 




[382] 



With the Sea-Going Poets 



LIFE ALL PETTIEST 

Petty, petty, petty things, — 
Pettifogging clan; 
Petty, petty, petty wings 
For the sailor man! 

Oh, it's petty this and petty that, 
And petty all the day. 
And make them wear a petty hat, 
And petty up their pay I 

The w^ardroom bunch is petty too; 
It's petty dow^n below; 
'Most everything is pettified. 
No matter where you go 1 

And then w^e have the pettiest 
Of petty punishment; 
(We like to think this pettiness 
At least is kindly meant!) 

Petty dudes w^ith petty power 
Will put you on report; 
"Out on deck, you petty Dub, — 
Come on and be a sport!" 

Damn this petty outfit all, 
So full of small-town stuff; 
One cruise of pettifogging gives 
A landsman gob enough! 

Petty, petty, petty gang, — 
But civilian, w^hat's the use? 
Just let 'em gloat o'er pettiness 
And stew^ in their own juice! 




70,000 Miles on a Submarine Destroyer 

THE BEST OLD SHIP 
(By a Member of the Black Gang) 

Where salty waves are rolling high, 

And nearly reach the azure sky, 

Right there we're found, Friend Jack and I, — 

And everywhere there's need. 
In waters w^here the sub is bold 
And ships are worth their w^eight in gold, — 
'Tis there you'll find us as of old, — 

On the trusty "Centipede!" 

(In camouflage w^e give our name, 
Not like it's written on the scroll. 

The censor w^on't allow the same, — 
So let our batteau roll!) 

It's true she eats up coal like hell. 

And then, she's under every swell. 

But boys, she's there — (the figures tell) — 

With all the beaucoup speed! 

They say the days of coal are done 

(*Tis bear's grease makes the bronchoes run). 

But not the last, — Old **Tw^enty-one" — 

The bucking "Centipede" ! 

(Up, glasses, mates, — suds on your lip, 

Then champ the filthy w^eed; 
Smite any man that puts his ship 

Above the "Centipede"!) 




[384] 




Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 



•"^*' V^ ^"*'*^^''^^ Treatment Date: ^^y 2001 

v' .^^'^-^ <^^ ^^0 ^. PreservationTechnologie 

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